The information regarding the Gay Pride Parade was distributed to the media. The scandalous reaction was expected, yet the aggression accompanying the week before the parade was somewhat surprising. That week, everywhere you looked one could witness heated debates over the parade. The Church and the Main Office of the Mufti denounced the parade as “immoral” and “intolerable”. The predominant outcome was extremely negative and in the end there was no legal organization that clearly announced its support for the event.

The most raging resistance certainly came from the many nationalistic groups and organizations, which unfortunately are large in numbers and do not meet any public resistance in Bulgaria. Threats were addressed from many of the neo-nazis – “National Resistance”, “Blood and Honour”, and the numerous soccer hooligans surrounding them. “BNU” - the “Bulgarian National Union”, which is a well-known and very well organized right-wing group, was the most aggressive one. These very well concealed Nazis officially announced the week before the parade as a week of intolerance towards gay pride. Under the slogan “Be Intolerant! Be normal!” these people poured on the streets and seized the media with xenophobic materials and aggressive statements. The open and unpunished demonstration of hatred compelled people to give up their right to participate in the parade, and even the Prime Minister whispered that he is “not against but doesn’t endorse such a parade”.

After the entire xenophobic hysteria one thing was clear – the parade was going to be a hard trial. Ultimately, this was exactly the case.

The parade itself arrived at 5 p.m. Cops were walking in front of the rally and the people were carrying a huge banner reading “Me and my family”, the motto of the event. The participants numbered 20 to 30 people but when they reached the bridge many outside people joined them. A vast rainbow flag was waving in the air. People from “AnarchoResistance” waved the banner “IN SOLIDARITY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA AND RACISM.”

Around 5:15 p.m. the first bomb was thrown. Somebody cried out “Die faggots, die!” and right after that a powerful roar was heard leaving a big spot on the ground. Nobody was harmed even though the bomb was thrown among the crowd of gapers, standing at the beginning of the bridge and having nothing to do with the parade.

While all this was happening the parade was escorted to the street. People were walking closely next to each other, tightly surrounded by the police. The participants numbered around 130 people supported by heterosexuals, couples with young children, elderly people, and foreigners. Far from this crowd the first Molotov cocktail was thrown. Nazis started walking alongside the parade and this is when the second Molotov came. Fortunately, this one was not properly set on fire. Right after the second Molotov another bomb exploded. Nobody was injured. The parade was moving quite fast. Not far from the parade one could see groups of outraged Nazis that were shouting insults but did not dare to throw anything else.

The parade closed at the “Red House - Center for Culture and Debate”. People left gradually by cabs. The cops cut off the entire area. Police spokesmen were giving information to the media about the events during the day, about bombs, “cocktails”, wooden rods, and knuckle-dusters found in the Nazis backpacks.

Besides all the aggression and tension surrounding the first Gay Pride Parade in Bulgaria, everything ended successfully.

What happened does not surprise us. During the communist dictatorship, people with homosexual orientation had been victimized, chased, and sent to concentration camps. They were declared “sick” and a “harmful phenomena, which does not have room in a socialist state”. Alas, this stereotype, strictly imposed for the last 45 years, is still alive today!

Hatred, openly demonstrated Nazism, and aggression are everyday aspects of life for people who are “different” from the majority. Those accountable for the racism and violence widely spread among us are the members of the ruling oligarchy, a system seriously devoted to the old manner of turning patriotism and nationalism into a state line and policy. The question remains - where is this going?

Autonomous Antiauthoritarian Group AnarchoResistance
www.aresistance.net
29. 06. 2008