Pride caravan banned in Pirot; organizers accuse police of endangering journalists

The association "Da se zna!" has issued a strong condemnation of the Pirot Police Department's decision to ban the Pride caravan, an event organized by the association. The group stated that law enforcement officials allowed hooligans to directly endanger the lives of activists and journalists, rather than apprehending those causing the disturbance.

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The association "Da se zna!" most strongly condemns the decision of the Police Administration of Pirot to ban the Pride caravan. The police allowed hooligans to directly endanger the lives of activists and journalists, instead of arresting and prosecuting all gathered hooligans for the criminal offense of endangering safety.

"Da se zna!" reported receiving a verbal notification from the police shortly before the event was scheduled to begin, citing security reasons for the cancellation. The association asserts that instead of arresting the gathered hooligans for endangering safety, the police permitted them to threaten journalists from N1, Tampon zona, and Mašina. Hooligans allegedly chanted homophobic slogans and physically pushed journalists, with one reporter being hit in the head.

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Hooligans threatened the journalist of Mašina Aleksandar Đokić and the journalist of Tampon Zone Sara Stanojković and pushed them, while the journalist of N1 Gordana Bjeletić was hit in the head.

The association is demanding the immediate dismissal of the Pirot Police Chief. They argue he failed to secure the public gathering in accordance with the law and allowed journalists to be attacked. "Da se zna!" views the ban as a "brutal violation of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly," guaranteed by the Serbian Constitution and international conventions. The association plans to address international organizations regarding this incident.

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We demand the immediate dismissal of the head of the Police Administration of Pirot, because he did not ensure public gathering in accordance with the law and because he allowed journalists to be attacked.

The Pride caravan was intended to be held in Pirot, but the police ban, citing security concerns, prevented its execution. The situation highlights tensions between LGBTQ+ rights advocacy and opposition groups, with accusations of police inaction in protecting participants and journalists.

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The ban on the Pride caravan in Pirot represents a brutal violation of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia and international conventions.