The organizers of the EuroPride event have said that almost 10,000 people participated in the Sept. 17 march "despite bans" and that it was the largest Pride ever held in Belgrade.
"Almost 10,000 people gathered to fight for equality, solidarity and human rights. Today Belgrade saw the largest Pride ever and we should all be proud of that," the Belgrade Pride team said in a press release. More than 130 events took place in Belgrade as part of EuroPride week, from Sept. 12 to 17.
Vladimir Bilcik, rapporteur for Serbia before the European Parliament, said the point was that the fight for rights should continue after EuroPride. Addressing the protesters before the march, he said Serbia's struggle to join the European Union should continue even more resolutely next week.
U.S. Ambassador to Belgrade Christopher Hill said it was very important that the EuroPride march happened in Belgrade despite everything and declined to comment on claims by Serbian Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin of Western pressure on the Serbian authorities. Vulin said that 13 police officers were injured and five police vehicles damaged in riots surrounding the EuroPride march.
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