9 LGBT Activists Attacked After Equality March

After the Equality March that took place on June 6 in Kyiv, aggressive young people pursued LGBT activists and attacked them.

Gay Alliance Ukraine notes that police protected the participants during the procession, but, after its completion, radical young people declared a “safari hunt” on activists. As a result, nine people were injured.

According to one of the victims, Nikita, he and two friends were walking from the March, trying not to attract attention, when they were attacked. His friend’s lip was busted, but he was able to escape. Nikita was hit hard in the face several times, throwing him onto vegetable kiosks. His friend called for help and asked anyone to call the police, but was faced with the indifference of passers-by. The semiconscious Nikita was taken to a nearby shop, where they called a taxi with a friend. Nikita was left with a broken nose, crooked teeth, and a possible concussion.

“Another Equality March participant, Stas, was knocked down and beaten, his assailants aiming for his face. He has a busted lip and a bruise under his eye. Another participant, Rostyslav, was also kicked very hard. He has not been examined yet, but so far his back and the bruise on his face show the result of his meeting with radicals,” said the activists.

After the March, participants were met with flying bottles while they were walking away. One hit Vitaliy in the back. According to him, it would have hit him in the head if had been thrown a second earlier.

Financial assistance is provided to victims by Gay Alliance Ukraine and the organizing committee of KyivPride2015.

KyivPride organizers can be contacted about legal and psychological support at info@kyivpride.org.

Amnesty International Coordinator Zoryan Kis posted on his Facebook page that the three cases of the victims, Zakhar Popovych, Vitaliy Dudin and Nick Starkov, are being worked on by the lawyer Kseniya Prokonova.

Photo: Zoryan Kis