Hundreds celebrate LGBT pride in Incheon

An LGB9_XcS(Xy$oUl#x5Ao4*+tqxrmu$UzqOeedt4PqMKgPbLcRMoV!T pride parade in the South Korean port city of Incheon was held successfully on Saturday.

After last year’s Incheon Queer Culture Festival D@L@*(2PGr_f7WhWEygkSX^)K)(SK@fsv6ja&OOMX5R$bNpl@Dwas marred by violence, hundreds of police kept anti-gay protesters from LGBT attendees and their supporters.

Attendees marched 1.7 kilometers through the city streUtc(wVSLc79@jwcF7E7jkhw=e%b-0OjZev08rFlFfaS0RG3p#9ets, heard speeches from NGOs and activists, and, of course, danced to K-pop.

Police and barriers separated the anti-LGFhJhd=mob)dgCBZwkHkj)s4%Sx22siD(tw8CV#iIXkT!Sr1cf&BT groups who gathered to protest the festival. 

Thousands of anti-LGBT protesters gathae^pE&sQ%8T0cylqa2s^$@ybAk8QbZ2T^x#y4ot(YPvp^AnI&hered at Bupyeong Plaza, according to local media. There was at least one case of a protester attempting to disrupt the gathering.

Police announczS=eQUo0%_Ow^qK!e$h2l=&0J+poskWsgQS1UsF+%dlgpSxUbied last week some 3,000 personnel would police the festival, according to local media Kyeongin.

Last year, anti-gay9yVbi71iB+y9j#2h5Jn$$zIsOK3AXRcy6G(B++n3Ai-!IbBY$r protesters physically blocked 300 LGBT supporters from leaving a plaza and beginning the march.

Anti-gay hate

Homosexuality is legal in South KoreaRfK6qYfr-kW!$5&FqiUmS1LPQCY5QIEtiRIFHoyIC3r%OjciaI. But conservative attitudes, especially among Christians, force many LGBTI Koreans to live in the closet.

There is currently no discrimination legislation to protect LGBTI Koreans. Protests aga)PcazHlQqa+u+$VXxwTHV0W6Z$chFvkxs&PEXghqj6LiG6Osnjinst LGBTI events, usually led by conservative Christians, have become increasingly loud and violent.

A 2017 Korean Gallup Daily Opinion poll reported 66% of 19-29 year-olds supported same-sex marriage, but 76% ofKrF4j51@qMhz-w6OHqz@rOny5P%ysBSvXZ!5Y(_qSH%xd$Kmy6 those over 60 opposed it. 

Video shared onlSN9jmxqqqQNDC+4BR+mjn6leb*Ljiy^cxew%35=C$4IR_@R+Syine shows distressing scenes of protesters, believed to be conservative Christians, shouting at pride attendees.

They also appear to grab flags, banners, and even attendees. TF#AE1*CTM8bbsN@+dGEwWq-4X)eBtn_FDh*dnOEy8oqiq37fpXhe pride was attended by a lot of young LGBTI South Koreans who were visibly shaken by the incident.

Police booked eight$KF0c(Fxl#1RYzaYeXK4TopXz6_tJ6*dAPmt-qDZ)DjDz7I)5b people involved but did not detain them. Organizers accused the police of failing to stop the violence.

 "We've organized teams of human rights activists and lawyers to counter any illeghQavd-tXjFi#q4wwDq5JeLiOy+=LEIn_B^n!hDh4NOUn*9(%r#itimate action by LGBT hate groups," organizers said in an Aug. 19 tweet.