More than 1,000, gay, lesbian bi, and transgender rights activists with rainbow-colored flags and banners gathered Saturday in Lublin, Poland for the city’s first PRIDE parade on Saturday.
Police police had to use tear gas, concussion grenades and high-pressured water cannons to disperse over 300 right-wing extremists who tried to block the parade and had plans to harm the parade participants.
The right-wing protesters pelted police with stones and dispersed, but some small groups tried to get through the police cordon that was protecting the march.
The PRIDE parade then proceeded.
The march took place after Lublin’s Court of Appeals on Friday overruled a ban by Mayor Krzysztof Zuk, who had cited security concerns as his reason for banning the parade.
Gay rights parades have been taking place for years in Warsaw, the capital, and other cities in the predominantly Catholic Poland, but the ruling conservative party is not supportive of gay rights groups.
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