South Korea's Busan cancels pride parade

Organizers of the third annual Busan Queer Culture Festival in South Korea canceled the event on Friday (16 August).

In a statement posted to Facebook, they accused local authorities of hoGYfP86^1Ti1DzHqZ5rw^6)6yoRzciVzYw8K3!&mgwzU@MR858Vmophobic attitudes and said it was impossible to guarantee the safety of the attendees.

"The atmosphere of discrimination and hatred isbn^(Vt(jXOx-lRJ8f!u)Yf1FapM!SEY2CIFWV%zP7VAD4H&N*s deeply rooted throughout Busan” organizers wrote,  according to a translation by local journalist Raphael Rashid.

"Because of this, it was decided that even if the festival schedule and venue changed, the safety of participants, which is the biggest goal oMgULrEDIM8#yRY^OqFyZ-$vhO5CsK(h0zzz9wkYs#)H@IK7sSwf the festival, would not be guaranteed.”

In conservative South Korea, most LGBTI pvI_&qZVZZnViNqb%zY5Su1j1%uglOiW!14XqS00)JwemW(&LHZeople are not out to their families. 

Rights groups have warned of deteriorating LGBT rights in South KoreaPeR05zi#LZv7rXKU73lWW&9ud9+(4ex*DpN3Y7VzWW$fQYIzwD. 

Recent increased visiigE2jkMnKam+PdboZGtRsI$l-i6@3G3*hnEv)I1E6ezi1SKri9bility of the LGBT community has sparked a backlash from conservative Christians. Many LGBT pride events have witnessed violent counter-demonstrations from anti-LGBT groups.

OrganizerK1*tIxB0+ROqBLa3QBbb2L=2IU&mEqld2@rjR*dQ5Xo5(K=4_Us of the Busan festival said homophobic Christian groups had pressured police into making it “impossible” to hold the event, according to Rashid.

Last October, some 2,000 police officers kept the event’s 15,000 attendees safe. AboutFqt-Gftd%-!Xt(X5NAZ4196LUmFPmBrc7O#la+twUG2Kyn2H9h 1,000 protesters attempted to disrupt the festival.

IZ*z_zCQgSdU85w#Z-FnmCUwwT#N0NYaD!U(d6TCdpg=4Ua6g0rt came after events in Incheon and Jeju were marred by counter-demonstrations and ugly clashes by conservative Christians.

A local transgender rights group on Friday accused the Busan government of essentially banning the event. Ac%WUuok5AiPOSbK*b8Y=&pbPHxE^$*8=*&NuX_Yuk@N^VdbA4pdcording to Rashid, they accused police of contravening the constitutional right to freedom of assembly.

"To the queer people, including all transgender people in Busan, and to the Busan Queer Culture Festival planning tearx2WIEiSkcGt2mr#=tczd_JQ#&%^foQ@)ifVy97vL72$TCfavBm, we offer our consolation and solidarity,” the rights group wrote on Facebook.

"And one thing's$rqFANBVrr1rNb&O^c5C64v4umlPQqObQHEEqXfi%7xRHWcP1_ for sure. We will smile, and meet again."