Ken condemns police failures at Estonia gay pride march

By Tony Grew • August 16, 2006 - 0:00

Ken Livingstone slammed the authorities in the capital, Tallinn, calling their lack of action inexcusable.

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The Mayor of London has added his voice to the criticism of police and politicians who failed to protect gay and lesbians from attack during a gay rights parade in Estonia.

Ken Livingstone slammed the authorities in the capital, Tallinn, calling their lack of action inexcusable.

"Having permitted the parade, and being aware of the potential for violence, Tallinn City Council and the city's police should have taken all reasonable steps to robustly defend the fundamental human rights of those taking part," the Mayor said in a statement today.

At last weekend's gay pride march around 15 people were injured after being attacked by groups of skinheads with sticks and stones while celebrating the country's third gay pride event.

This follows a series of far-right attacks on gay rights events across Eastern Europe and Russia.

The Mayor said: "I also deplore the violence at Gay Pride events this year in Latvia, Poland, Russia, Moldova and Romania and the encouragement given to right wing extremists by religious and political leaders.

"I strongly endorse the European Parliament resolution that lesbian and gay people should be protected from homophobic hate speech and violence and treated with 'respect, dignity and protection.'"

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