All news

Radicals attack gay rights activists in Kiev

The press service of the national police’s Kiev department said that the attacks were noticed after the end of the action

KIEV, June 18. /TASS/. Two gay rights activists were attacked by Ukrainian radicals after a gay pride march in central Kiev on Sunday, the press service of the national police’s Kiev department said.

"A group of unidentified men approached participants in the march and sprayed gas from a pepper gun in the face of one of them and incurred bodily injuries on the other. One of the attackers was detained by policemen," a police spokesman said, adding that the detained man had a neck face mask, a knife, a pepper gun and a mouth guard on him.

The Ukrainian mass media report about more attacks on the pride parade participants, including foreigners.

About 2,500 gay rights activists took part in the March of Equality held by the Ukrainian LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender) community in the center of the Ukrainian capital earlier on Sunday. During the event, the police enhanced security measures in the Ukrainian capital. About 6,000 policemen were involved to protect law and order. However, the route of the gay pride march was changed due to radicals’ efforts to disrupt it.

The previous gay pride march in Kiev was held on June 12, 2016, which involved several hundred activists. The march was held amid unprecedented security measures.