Gary Barlow

Moldova Pride group attacked as police stand and watch
CHISINAU, Moldova—GLBT advocates appealed to the European Union and the Council of Europe for help after Gay Pride events in Moldova’s capital, Chisinau, were blocked by authorities and then attacked by an anti-GLBT crowd May 11.

Police stood by passively, activists said, when a crowd of about 400 blocked and threatened a busload of some 60 people headed to a Gay Pride march. Many in the crowd sported the military-style dress of ultra-right-wing skinhead groups.

At one point the anti-GLBT protesters entered the bus and seized flags and banners while threatening to beat the GLBT passengers. The bus managed to return to the offices of GenderDoc-M, the Moldovan group that sponsored the Pride events, but was followed by some members of the crowd. The anti-GLBT group surrounded GenderDoc-M’s office for several hours before finally dispersing. No injuries were reported. Activists reported that police did not respond to their calls for help in dealing with the threat from the anti-GLBT demonstrators.

At the same time, an anti-gay rally that appeared to have the support of government officials took place in the capital’s Great National Assembly Square.

Afterwards, GenderDoc-M officials released a statement urging the Council of Europe and the EU “to put pressure on the Moldovan government to implement its own laws without discrimination and its international human rights commitments. Moldovan authorities must be held responsible for their behavior.”

Moldova, with about four million residents, borders Romania in central Europe.

Castro’s daughter leads effort to fight homophobia
HAVANA— Cuban President Raul Castro’s daughter, Mariela, is leading an anti-homophobia festival this week in Havana and six of Cuba’s 14 provinces.

The festival culminates with events marking the International Day Against Homophobia May 17.

“There’s political support for this educational strategy,” Mariela Castro told Agence France-Presse. “It’s the best thing that’s happened to us.”

Castro, who heads Cuba’s National Center for Sexual Education, has been a longtime advocate for equal rights for GLBTs. Her agency is pushing legislation in the Cuban Parliament to allow people “freedom of gender” and to provide for civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.

Castro said she has high hopes for the festival against homophobia.

“We don’t know how the public will react,” she said. “We suppose it’ll go well because of the way we’ve organized it. It’ll help people understand things, reflect and think.”