Thousands for Warsaw gay parade despite opposition

POLAND: Thousands of people are expected to join a gay parade through Warsaw today, amid growing international unease over Polish intolerance towards minorities.

A European Union human rights watchdog decried homophobia in Poland this week, while Israel has condemned recent anti-semitic rhetoric and attacks that analysts say are encouraged by the country's traditionalist and strongly Catholic government.

Warsaw's gay parade was twice banned by Lech Kaczynski, the former mayor of the city who became Poland's president last autumn, when his Law and Justice party swept to power pledging to bring about a conservative "moral revolution".

Having advocated the death penalty and a ban on homosexuals teaching in schools during the election campaign, the leaders of Law and Justice further alarmed liberals by bringing the nationalist League of Polish Families into the ruling coalition last month.

"I appeal to Warsaw officials to ban this parade," said Roman Giertych, the leader of the League of Polish Families, about today's gay march. "It is a scandal that such events are being allowed, especially during the World Cup," he added, denouncing the event as "obscene".

Other leading members of the League of Polish Families have called for an investigation into whether gay rights groups are funded by paedophiles and drug dealers and have urged the police to break up gay marches by force.

The All-Polish Youth - a radical nationalist group affiliated to the League of Polish Families that has opposed gay parades in other Polish cities - had planned a "march of tradition and culture" through Warsaw today.

However it postponed the march last week, citing fears of violent clashes with "left-wing fundamentalists". Gay rights campaigners still expect trouble during their parade, however.

"We can expect that, as in previous years, hooligans will come with signs and might even try to attack the march," said activist Yga Kostrzewa. "In this political climate of growing homophobia, you can expect that something will happen."

Today's march will be swelled by supporters from across Europe, some of whom will be protesting a perceived rise in anti-semitism in the EU's largest new member.

Israel has complained about the "anti-semitic ideology" of the League of Polish Families and, the day before meeting Pope Benedict at Auschwitz, Poland's chief rabbi was attacked by a man shouting "Poland for the Poles!"

"This isn't just about gays and lesbians any more," gay rights campaigner Robert Biedron said of today's parade.

"This march will be a big demonstration against fundamentalism and the violation of human rights."