VILNIUS — Saturday’s gay parade was a landmark event for the rights of sexual minorities in Lithuania, marking the first time a pride parade was allowed to occur by the Vilnius municipal government.

Conservatives in the predominantly Catholic country had repeatedly tried to block the event, but it finally went ahead after a temporary permit revocation just days before the scheduled event.

The roughly 450 participants were well-protected by police as they marched along the northern banks of the Neris River in Vilnius.

Baltic Reports editor Nathan Greenhalgh was there, camera in hand, to capture the controversial and historic event. Video footage Greenhalgh shot of the parade can be seen here,