Believers break up LGBT march in Moldova

Moscow, May 22, 2017

Orthodox faithful successfully blocked the route of Sunday’s LGBT parade in the Moldovan capital city of Chișinău, causing the march to come to an early end, reports Interfax-Religion.

The march was attended by several hundred people, including LGBT activists from the non-governmental “Gender-doc” organizations, representatives of civil society, and a number of politicians and journalists, including employees of embassies of a number of Western countries. Moldovan president Igor Dodon earlier turned down an invitation to join in the march, and spoke out against it, instead encouraging Moldovan citizens to take part in a number of activities in support of traditional family values, which also began on Sunday in Chișinău.

Participants planned to march 2 kilometers from Izmailskaya Street to the Palace of the Republic, but were blocked on Bucharest Street (one of the main streets in the city), less than halfway through the planned route, by several hundred Orthodox faithful. The Orthodox came out singing Church hymns, carrying banners and posters bearing inscriptions such as, “Moldova is an Orthodox country!” “Mama, Papa, and I—that’s a family!” and others in defense of traditional families.

The police, who had been accompanying the marchers, quickly intervened to prevent any clashes. Several hundred police in helmets and riot gear stood between the two groups. After a few minutes it was decided to stop the march, and the participants boarded buses that had been prepared beforehand by the police, and which were also following the march.

President Dodon criticized again yesterday the activities being held as part of the LGBT community’s 16th “Moldova Pride 2017.” He stated that he strongly condemns the holding of the festival and the LGBT march. The head of state himself, together with his wife and three sons, participated in the traditional family-oriented events which took place on the central square of Chișinău.