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August 16, 2006

Estonia launches criminal probe into gay pride attacks

Estonia launches criminal probe into gay pride attacks

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)

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