Clashes Mar Bosnia's First Gay Festival

From AFP

Clashes mar Bosnia's first gay festival

SARAJEVO (AFP) — Dozens of homophobic hooligans attacked participants of Bosnia's first-ever gay rights festival in Sarajevo on Wednesday, leaving at least eight people injured, said police.

The scuffle broke out at the end of the opening ceremony of the four-day festival in front of the Academy of Fine Arts in downtown Sarajevo.

"When I was getting out of the academy, I was suddenly struck in the back," Pedja Kojovic, a local journalist, told AFP. "Three other people then came running and beat me up."

Emir Imamovic, a journalist who tried to help Kojovic, was severely beaten, police said. Another journalist was also injured.

A heavy police deployment prevented more violence from spoiling the event, with a security cordon keeping protestors shouting "kill the gays" and "Allahu Akbar" (a Muslim expression meaning God is Great) at bay.

A police officer on the scene said groups of anti-gay protestors had spread to nearby streets and were attacking people. A police officer was struck in the head during the clashes.

About 50 people participated in the opening day of the festival, which had already prompted fears of violence, with homophobia overriding usual divisions among the country's wartime foes -- Muslims, Serbs and Croats.

The country's Muslim majority is particularly upset about the festival because it opened during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Many, including members of various ethnic political parties, have declared homosexuality an illness and labelled the behaviour deviant.

Clashes at Bosnia's Gay Festival

From BBC

Clashes at Bosnia's gay festival

Many demonstrators chanted "Kill the Gays!" and "Allahu Akbar!"

At least eight people have been injured in clashes during the opening ceremony of Bosnia's first gay festival in the capital Sarajevo, police have said.

They said dozens of men attacked participants of the festival in front of the city's Academy of Fine Arts.

A foreigner and journalists were reportedly among the injured.

Homosexuality is very much a taboo issue in Bosnia and organisers of the Queer Festival have received death threats, correspondents say.

Anti-gay protesters attacked the festival participants as they were leaving the opening ceremony in central Sarajevo on Wednesday evening.

Many demonstrators chanted "Kill the Gays!" and "Allahu Akbar!" (God is Great).

"When I was getting out of the academy, I was suddenly struck in the back. Three other people then came running and beat me up," festival participant Pedja Kojovic told the AFP news agency.

Violence spread to nearby streets, before police managed to disperse the protesters.

Political event

Holding a gay festival in Bosnia has been condemned by some politicians and sections of the media, the BBC's Helen Fawkes in
Sarajevo says.

Sarajevo is a predominantly Muslim city, and religious leaders have said that the timing of the four-day event - coinciding with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan - is provocative, our correspondent says.

Amnesty International and a number of other human rights groups have expressed concern at the level of homophobia and the attempts to incite violence in the run-up to the festival.

The organisers said they did not set out to offend anyone, and that the aim was to use art and culture to raise awareness.

But now it has become a political event, and the organisers are more determined than ever that the gay festival should take place over the next few days, our correspondent says.

Six Injured at Sarajevo's Queer Festival

From B92 Six injured at Sarajevo's Queer Festival

25 September 2008 | 12:47 | Source: B92, Tanjug

SARAJEVO -- Nine people were injured at the opening of the Queer Festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina police said. Police at the entrance to the Art Acedemy in Sarajevo (Beta) Dozens of hooligans tried to stop the first exhibition of homosexual culture in Bosnia-Herzegovina. They threw rocks at the Sarajevo Art Academy building during the opening of the event. The police was able to push back the rioters. The hooligans, some with their faces covered, and other with long beards, were yelling insults at the festival participants and shouting, "Allahu Akbar!" They also dragged people out of their cars and physically attacked others in the festival on the street. Six people were taken to the hospital with head injuries. The person suffering the most serious wounds was a Danish citizen. One police officer was also injured in the clashes with the hooligans. Police arrested eight attackers. Journalist Emir Imamović and writer Peđa Kojović were also injured. The hooligans gathered right before the opening of the exhibition. The police believe that they were football hooligans, judging by the clothes they were wearing and emblems that were noticed. The hooligans began to throw rocks and break windows in the building where the exhibition was being held. "We had high level security. I think that this says a lot about the situation in Bosnia, this community is homophobic and xenophobic. I think this shows that change is necessary in order for us to be accepted all together," exhibition organizer Maša Buzić said. At the event, multimedia artists presented their works dealing with the contemporary homosexual population and its fight for emancipation. The exhibition was opened despite threats. "I am not afraid. Why should I be afraid? If I should be afraid of what I am and what I love, then all I can do is kill myself," artist Alma Selmanović said. The Islamic Community condemned the gay rights exhibition in Sarajevo. It explained that the event preaches "immorality and unnatural love during the time of Ramadan", which is offensive to the religious beliefs of Muslims.

Bosnia's First Gay Festival to Close After Attacks

From Reuters

Bosnia's first gay festival to close after attacks

Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:11pm BST

By Maja Zuvela

SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Bosnia's first gay festival will close early after hooded men, some shouting Islamic slogans, attacked visitors on its opening night, injuring eight people, organizers said on Thursday.

About 70 men, some shouting "God is greatest" in Arabic, dragged festival-goers from their cars and beat others in the streets of the Bosnian capital on Wednesday.

Sarajevo, known for centuries for the peaceful coexistence of its Muslims, Christians and Jews, became a majority Muslim city after the 1992-95 war.

"We cannot guarantee the safety of visitors," said organizer Svetlana Djurkovic. "The festival is closing down."

Djurkovic heads a group that promotes the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual groups.

About 250 people attended the opening of the festival of art, film and workshops about sexual minorities, which was due to last four days. Police clashed with the attackers and said they would press charges against five men.

Srdjan Dizdarevic of the Bosnian branch of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights said the attacks violated "civilized standards."

"The attacks hoped to annul individuality in society. The attackers used fascist rhetoric," Dizdarevic said.

Islamic papers and magazines had criticized the timing of the festival, organizedduring the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Anonymous death threats were made against organizers, who said the timing was coincidental.

(Editing by Daria Sito-Sucic and Opheera McDoom)

Pictures: Bosnia's First LGBT Festival Attacked

Sveltana Djurkovic (R), the head of Q association and organiser of Bosnia's first-ever gay festival gives an interview under protection of private security personnel after announcing in central Sarajevo that their festival is closed September 25, 2008. Organizers of Bosnia's first-ever gay festival in the capital Sarajevo decided on Thursday to close the event because of security fears after the attacks on its participants and visitors had marred the opening.

Slobodanka Dekic (L) and Sveltana Djurkovic, organisers of Bosnia's first-ever gay festival announce to reporters in central Sarajevo
that their festival is closed September 25, 2008. Organizers of Bosnia's first-ever gay festival in the capital Sarajevo decided on Thursday to close the event because of security fears after the attacks on its participants and visitors had marred the opening.

Protesters shout slogans against the first-ever gay festival organised in Bosnia in central Sarajevo September 24, 2008. Bosnian policemen stand in front of protesters during the first-ever gay festival organised in Bosnia in central Sarajevo September 24, 2008. Bosnian police clashed on Wednesday with young men attacking the country's first gay festival in Sarajevo. Police said at least eight people were injured when attackers dragged some people from vehicles and beat others in the street. A policeman was also injured.

Bosnian policemen scuffle with protesters during the first-ever gay festival organised in Bosnia in central Sarajevo September 24, 2008. Bosnian police clashed on Wednesday with young men attacking the country's first gay festival in Sarajevo. Police said at least eight people were injured when attackers dragged some people from vehicles and beat others in the street. A policeman was also injured.