Amsterdam rally against homophobic violence happenings

photos courtesy of partyHotshots.nl

Hundreds turned out to the staged a protest in Amsterdam on September 5, 2010 to denounce anti-gay violence.

They warned that homosexuals continue to be the target of attacks in the Dutch capital, once known as the 'Gay Capital' of Europe.

The demonstration was organised by rights group Right to Feel Safe.

The rally began on the city's Dam square before proceeding along places where gay people have recently been harassed or assaulted.

Posters detailing the incidents were affixed at each location.

Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan recently called for measures to end homophobic aggression and violence.

Overall the day's event was peaceful where drag queens, lesbians, bisexual activists, androgynous artists and some transgendered rights supporters peacefully protested, sang songs, gave speeches (see video below), marched and called for tolerance and no violence towards LGBT people.

Unfortunately at least three homophobic incidents occurred DURING the protest as evidenced in the photo provided above where a man clearly bleeds allegedly from being hit via an object or missile.

(Update) Sept 5, 2010, 5:30pm - The injured man photoed was in fact hit by a missile in the form of a beer can thrown by a man who rode into a crowd on a scooter, this was confirmed by one of the organizers of the event, it was estimated some 2000 persons participated.

Many Jamaican LGBT people have sought asylum refuge in the state as the systems there do allow that option as also many from African and other European states literally by the hundreds on a daily basis arrive to try to escape homophobic persecution from their native homelands.

However domestic homophobic incidents there have been on the increase since 2007 or thereabout as some major dutch newspapers have reported and the issue is being closely monitored by activists worldwide as Amsterdam has always been set as a benchmark for rights and tolerance elsewhere. The protest is in a bid to flex the muscles of the activists on the ground which is a commendable move.

Peace and tolerance.

H