News
2006-08-16
Estonia launches
criminal probe into gay pride attacks
Estonia
investigates antigay attacks
Estonian
prosecutors in Tallinn have ordered a criminal
Estonian
prosecutors in the nation's capital, Tallinn, have ordered a
criminal investigation into attacks on gay pride marchers
over the weekend there. At least 20 young men
attacked the 500 or so marchers as they paraded
through the city on Saturday, and the security police
have now taken over the investigation, reports Agence France-Presse.
"We upgraded the investigation into a criminal
case because we have received information that the
incidents involved physical violence, promotion of
social hatred, and discriminatory statements against
demonstrators," Erle Rudi, a spokesperson for the
prosecutor's office, told AFP.
A Spanish citizen who participated in the march
and was treated for a head injury has already made a
statement to the police, and parade organizers said
they expected at least three more marchers to make
statements as well. "No further complaints have been
received by police from the demonstrators, but we have
information from other sources that several other
people were physically attacked," Rudi said.
"About 15 to 20 people received blows from
wooden sticks or stones thrown by a gang who call
themselves Estonian patriots," Lisette Kampus, a
spokesperson for the parade, told AFP. "The reason why more
people have not officially turned to police with complaints
is that they are afraid of the reaction of their
families or workplaces, as they have not openly come
out as homosexual," she added. (The Advocate)
Click here to follow The Advocate on Twitter.
Page 1 of 1