Sarajevo Pride March calls for end to hate crimes

Hundreds of people marched through Sarajevo's streets on Saturday for the city's seventh Pride March, demanding an end to hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Under the slogan 'All colors suit us,' organizers aimed to highlight the importance of unity and respect for diversity in a society marked by divisions and intolerance.

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Our rights are not waiting

Participants carried banners with slogans such as 'Our rights are not waiting,' 'Stop fascism, stop hate,' 'Freedom is a human right,' 'Unite,' and 'Hate is a prison.' They marched through the center of Sarajevo, a city with a predominantly Muslim population. While the march proceeded peacefully in a festive atmosphere with drums and colorful flags, activists used megaphones to voice their main demands. These included an end to impunity for violence, the eradication of intolerance, and an education system that promotes inclusion.

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Stop fascism, stop hate

Bosnia-Herzegovina, characterized by a conservative society with prevailing ethnic and religious tensions, was one of the last Balkan countries to host a Pride March. Homosexuality was not decriminalized until 2001. The first Pride March in 2019 required a massive police deployment to protect attendees from threats by radical groups.

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Freedom is a human right