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Tens of thousands of people passed through the center of Prague today in the Prague Pride parade, the aim of which is to support sexual minorities and equal rights for all. Its participants set off from the lower part of Wenceslas Square after noon. The first of them arrived more than an hour later at Letná, while the rear part of the procession was just leaving Műstek on its way. On the Letenská plain, the week-long pride festival of sexual minorities culminates with a cultural program that ends at 10:00 p.m.
According to the organizers, 60,000 people took part in the parade, similar to last year. The police did not specify the exact number, estimating the participation at tens of thousands of people. Due to information about planning an attack on a recent similar event in Bratislava, the parade was monitored by more police than usual. The police have not yet noticed any problems and have not had to intervene, Prague police spokesman Jan Daněk told ČTK at 1:00 p.m.
The participants in the parade wore colorful clothes, rainbow flags and accessories, some even costumes and masks. Some politicians, representatives of companies and organizations, ambassadors, well-known personalities, families with children, Czechs and foreigners also went in the procession.
At the head of the procession of tens of thousands of people was the Government Commissioner for Human Rights Klára Laurenčíková Šimáčková, Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies for the Government Pirates Olga Richterová, photo on social networks shared the German ambassador in Prague Andreas Künne and others.
According to the ČTK reporter, the march was attended by many foreigners and several LGBT+ pro-Palestinian activists with Palestinian flags or “No Pride In Genocide” banners. At the same time, experts on the Middle Eastern region remind us that Palestinian society is very conservative and LGBT+ people are at risk of threats and violence. Many of them therefore prefer to live in Israel.
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Before the start of the rainbow parade, people on Můstek could listen to DJ Jan Witek, make a banner for the parade or get their make-up done. The route led from Wenceslas Square along Na Příkopě street, through Ovocný trh and Celetná to Staroměstské náměstí, then along Pařížská street over Čechův bridge and up the stairs to Letná.
Along the route, several music stages were placed on balconies or elevated platforms, at which people stopped in the procession. At Letná, Pride Park will offer a program on six different stages. People will be able to visit fairground attractions, the family zone or the fair of non-profit organizations.
This year’s theme of the 14th annual human rights festival about the lives of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans people (LGBT+) is family. Therefore, there is also a train in the parade, which can be used by children with their parents or people with reduced mobility. “The essence (of the parade) is to show that LGBT+ people are still here with us and are waiting for the settlement of human rights,” festival director Kamila Fröhlichová told ČTK today.
The Prague Pride show with a parade took place for the first time in August 2011. At that time, it caused stormy protests by conservatives. In the following years, the protest actions gradually weakened.