Bulgaria Skin Heads Attack Gay Parade with Molotov Cocktails, 60 Arrested

Crime | June 28, 2008, Saturday // 00:00
Bulgaria Skin Heads Attack Gay Parade with Molotov Cocktails, 50 Arrested: Bulgaria Skin Heads Attack Gay Parade with Molotov Cocktails, 60 Arrested The Sofia Police arrested about 50 skin heads and other extremists trying to harass the participants at the first gay pride parade Saturday afternoon. Photo by Nadya Kotseva (Sofia Photo Agency)

More than 60 persons have been arrested by the police for trying to attack and harass the participants in the gay pride parade, which took place in Sofia Saturday afternoon.

The arrested are mostly representatives of the skin heads and other extremist groups, who were throwing stones, bottles, squibs, and even Molotov cocktails at the procession.

The massive presence of the police, who were about as many as the participants in the parade - 150, however, prevented the hooligans from doing harm to any of the homosexuals and their supporters, and no one has been reported injured.

The leader of the nationalist extremists Bulgarian National Union Boyan Rasate has also been arrested, allegedly for taking part in the attempted violence.

According to some accounts, Rasate's five-year old daughter, whom he brought with him to the anti-rally, was left alone and helpless after he was arrested and thrown in the back of one of the police cars.

Over the last week Rasate's BNU had been among the strongest opponents of the gay parade, and even launched a campaign under the motto: "Be Intolerant, Be Normal" with posters spread all over Sofia.

Meanwhile, many of those who accompanied the arrested persons, complained of police violence against their friends.

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