A Pride celebration in Odessa, Ukraine was beset by far-right nationalists who pelted LGBT+ activists with eggs and used pepper spray against them. In a statement on its Facebook page, Odessa Pride organisers said that peaceful Pride event on Sunday afternoon had only been underway for ten minutes were set upon by the neo-Nazi thugs, who were bearing the banners of a ‘Traditions and Order’ nationalist group. Pride organisers say that despite assurances from police that they would ensure the event was protected, officers did not react fast enough to the attack – with LGBT+ activists abused and attacked with pepper spray before police eventually sought to break up the conflict, forming a barrier surrounding the small pro-LGBT+ group. Police ‘should be punished’ for failing to stop violence sooner, say Odessa Pride organisers. The Pride organisers note that the event has gone off without violence for six years in a row, adding: “Those who attacked demonstrators should be punished for physical and psychological violence against citizens of Ukraine. Odessa police should be punished for standing idle during a crime.”
via pinknews: Ukrainian neo-Nazi, far-right hooligans viciously attack Pride parade – while police ‘stand idly by’