The issuance of the parade permit for a gay rights march is a first for Lithuania, as previous attempts were denied. Above is an image from a Brussels parade protesting Lithuania's "protection of minors" law last summer — a permit to hold a rally in Vilnius was denied. Photo by Juris Lavrikovs/ILGA-Europe.
VILNIUS — The Vilnius municipal government reversed past policy on Wednesday and agreed to issue a permit for a gay rights march this spring, a decision supported by the U.S.
Previous attempts to hold gay pride events in the Lithuanian capital have been barred by city authorities, who cited security concerns. In 2007 the Vilnius city council unanimously barred an EU-sponsored tolerance of minorities rally from taking place, citing fears that anti-gay protesters may become violent.
However, organizers aren’t thrilled with city hall’s decision to alter the original route from the heart of Old Town to north of Neris River, taking the marchers over the former Šnipiškės Jewish cemetery, which could cause a new bevy of problems. After four years of arguing with the world Jewish community, the municipal government agreed in August to halt further development on the site.
“Yes well, the main problem is that I think, this is the Jewish cemetery place and it is protected by this heritage department,” Sigita Rukšėnaitė, a project administrator for the Lithuanian Gay League, told Baltic Reports. “This is the main problem. Now there is disagreement between those two institutions.”
The parade is a part of a series of events for “Baltic Pride 2010,” which will include the displaying in central Vilnius of the biggest rainbow flag ever made, measuring 30 meters in length.
The event’s stated goal is to promote tolerance and fight discrimination against homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people in a country well-known for conservative attitudes toward people of non-heterosexual orientations.
U.S. praises decision
In a meeting with the Vilnius Mayor Vilius Navickas on Thursday, the U.S. ambassador to Lithuania Anna Derse presented a report on homosexual rights that said the city’s decision to sanction the march “is consistent with the official U.S. position on this issue.”
one can only rejoyce from this decision, the down side is that lithuania will, for this occasion and unfortunately again, show where it really stands on actual progressive ideas; it will be a display of hate, intolerance , primitive reactions towards a community that all of us has always lived with in ignorance of who they realy were.
come out of the closet everyone and prove them wrong, it must be everyone or no-one for this event to be a step forward.
just a thought… what about we have a heterosexual-pride parade and declare how proud we are to love the opposite sex? Not that I’m against any ‘pride’ parades of homosexuals but I think the way some are painting the picture in dark colors is not fair nor objective. I think the doctrine of political correctnes in some countries has overwhelmed such basic principles as freedom of speech and a freedom of opinion (which Lithuanians enjoy more than most other countries… delfi.lt is a great example as opposed to censored bbc news) as if there was only one ‘correct’ view towards some things (homosexuality, racial issues, immigration etc.). The US should concentrate on why it stands behind Lithuania in the ‘press freedom’ index and then teach others about good behavior and manners. I am happy that in Lithuania at least I am ALLOWED to say what I think about some topics… something I cannot do in UK where I live at the moment.
Please don’t get me wrong. I don’t want homosexuals be discriminated but on the other hand I wouldn’t put ‘evil’ labels on people who simply express their opinion. I just don’t want Lithuania to become a politically correct society which UK or US has become… I find that worse then being homophobic or otherwise ‘evil’.
another example of the United States cramming their “values” down the throats of other sovereign nations. I live in the US now & many people out there might not be aware of this but: if you ever thought that the sermonizing under Bush was bad you should hear Obama. He’s 10x’s worse. No surprise that his ambassador is involved here.
PS I love the passive aggressive move of Vilnius City Council. The fact of the matter is: if you aren’t in Old City, you won’t get the time of day. Moving the venue was genius
it’s not about being allowed such expression, but mostly being able to do it without fearing extremely violent reactions from those who don’t agree.it is also important that this should not be an isolated event but one among other in the framwork of a general tendancy in the society towards acceptance and tolerance.
the necessity of such an event can be related to the fact that we still need international womens day, international aids day. it’s not an actual celebration, it just points out issues that are still to be fought for.
I wish gays never felt the need to celebrate their difference,as much as blue eyed people don’t feel the need to celebrate their difference.
Just another fantastic benefit of becoming part of the EU. Amsterdam values and Brussels indoctrination. Forget about keeping your sovereign right to free speech Lithuania. It’s all downhill from now on. Bend over for the homosexual “rights” fanatics. They rule the EU now. Traditional values are no longer valid.
I understand where you’re coming from, Jaay, but I don’t think you can have it both ways.
You either have a progressive society like that of the UK, which is becoming more and more tolerant of homosexuality, ethnic minorities, etc and in which homophobia and racism tend to be frowned upon by the majority of people.
Alternatively, you can live in a society like that of Lithuania, which is largely intolerant and bigoted.
Say what you will about the “PC” brigade, but the difference between the Britain and Lithuania is that in the UK the vast majority of people are open-minded and tolerant, and the minority of bigots are roundly and rightly condemned, whereas in Lithuania the majority of people are bigots, and the minority of people who choose or are born not to conform are rounded upon. I know which country I would rather live in.
Go and live in your PC wonderland of the UK. The country is rotting from within from its uber-tolerance. Maybe the radical muslims that are taking the country over will also be as “PC”.
I do live there. You stay in your backward, paranoid, parochial, inward-looking hole, and I will enjoy the benefits of a cosmopolitan, multicultural society. You continue to believe what your right-wing gutter-press tells you and I will enjoy living in a tolerant society. We’re both happy, see? The beauty of freedom-of-movement.
aleksas is probably one of those believing that the seat belt is an insult to his piloting abilities and a breach to his freedom of movement.
well its kind of strange that patriotic parade/marches on the independence day is considered bad. and a gay pride march is considered so good. I have nothing against either factions as long as laws are not broken.. but it would be one thing in a large country to have gay march/parade thats all fine and dandy, but Lithuania is a super small country and during soviet occupation homosexuality was illeagal you cant just joint the EU and then have gay parades/marches without easing and correcting of the image of gay people in LTU.. first of all when it is ileagal you will tend to have a big part of it turn seedy like the park toilet pick up spots.. in the west were its tolorated and people are informed that gays can be normal like heteros it doesnt have that illeagal element and is more relaxed.. but LT joins the EU and imeadiately they want to shove an alien culture down everyones throats you will have a strong opposite reaction which is whats happening now. i think the emphasis should have been on educating the public on homosexuality and then let THE LOCAL GAYS have their ralleys marches partys (they usualy throw realy good partys…) etc.. instead you have foreign gay activists that want to make a big public party. stupid mistake. its a small nation that has suffered half a milenum of genocide by foreigners/ foreign powers and cultures… so in the dna of the lithuanian there is the resistance to dramatic cultural changes… which is good actualy and why the nation has survived but the gay activists realy f’d this one up.. they should have shown the normality of people born gay or what ever, then slowly gradualy throw gay pride street partys.. or do they want this major conflict? seems to me that its the foreign gay activists making this another venue to blame LTU for all atrocities of WW2 and that soviets were so mild and somehow lithuanians are bigger nazis than the germans or americans etc..im getting so tired of the constant provocation going on here by foreign interests.. no matter who you screw or what your oppinion is you should be tolorated and in an open and civilized discussion. like the church is against the gay parade but they cover up pedofilia by their priests. or you hear about jewish graves… practicly all of lithuania is graves.. theres no international scandals about other faiths graveyards turned into parks or developed during the soviet times.. LTU is a weak country and it seems like everybody east and west is trying to point the finger at her like shes some threat to something…
There would be no parade…
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This must be “The End of The World” everybody is talking about… When gay is in control life will stop because two men can’t bring new live into this world. Oh, well… Guess humankind wasn’t ment to live to in this world.