Gays march in Latvia under heavy police guard

Latvian gays marched in the capital city of Riga on June 3 under the watchful eyes of police who last year were accused of doing nothing while gays were attacked by extremists. The parade was held in a park that had been fenced in to prevent a repeat of last year's counter protest. Inside the enclosure several hundred gays -- some from other European Union countries -- marched along a roadway that ran in a circle inside Vermanes Park. Many of the marchers carried rainbow flags. Others held signs proclaiming "Equality Is A Human Right." Outside the perimeter almost as many people staged a noisy demonstration against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. Later in the day the anti-gay groups -- skinheads, extreme nationalists, neo-Nazis and churchgoers -- held a concert billed as pro-family. The groups had demanded that the gay parade be cancelled. Last week they demonstrated in front of the Latvian Parliament. Last year the capital city of Riga refused to grant a parade permit citing security reasons following a recommendation from Latvian Interior Minister Dzintars Jaundzeikars. Pride organizers organized a service at a local church instead of holding a parade. As they left the church dozens were attacked by an angry mob. They were pelted with bags of excrement and verbal abuse as police stood by watching. Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga denounced the violence and said that it was unacceptable for the Riga City Council to refuse the parade permit. In 2005 gays went to court and got an injunction after the city also refused a parade license. The march was marked by violence and a number of protesters were arrested.