Chisinau, May 21, Interfax – Sexual minorities have held their first successful pride parade in Moldova; they walked along Ismail and Bucuresti streets to the Palace of the Republic.
Orthodox Church members tried to thwart the parade, but the police stopped them and prevented clashes, an Interfax correspondent reported from the ground.
Attempted parades of the past two years were cut short two blocks from Ismail Street, on the junction of Bucuresti and Armenian streets. Orthodox Church members were heatedly expressing their indignation after the parade went past the junction and reached the center of the city.
The parade covered a distance of about three kilometers, which was record for Chisinau. None of the earlier parades went for more than one kilometer.
This year’s parade also had the biggest turnout, which the police estimated at about 500 people.
The parade was successful thanks to the police protection. Thousands of police officers were escorting the parade on both sides of the street. Besides, all streets crossing Bucuresti and other streets in the center of Chisinau were closed for traffic.
Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and all Moldova condemned the parade and demanded that the Chisinau city administration prohibit it from being held. The Orthodox Church organized a march in defense of family values on May 12. President Igor Dodon and his family took part in the march and spoke in defense of traditional family and Orthodox values.
