By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – As celebrations of gay pride were held throughout the world on Saturday, June 28th, dozens of marchers also took to Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, to celebrate the International Day of LGBT Pride and to demonstrate for improved rights for the homosexual and transsexual community in Rio and Brazil.
While June is officially LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Pride Month in the United States, Saturday marked the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, an historic moment in the struggle for gay and lesbian rights in America.
To commemorate the anniversary of the riots, the group in Copacabana started their march in the morning near Copacabana’s Posto 6 (lifeguard watchtower 6) and proceeded to march down the Avenida Atlântica with banners and rainbow flags.
Members of the “pink bloc”, a group with a satirical take on the Black Bloc groups, were present during the march and sold pink t-shirts to marchers and passers-by. The pink bloc is known for their pink attire, peaceful demonstrations, humor and “tactical frivolity”, including glitter bombs.
Protestors against FIFA and the ongoing World Cup also joined in the march as did demonstrators in support of São Paulo Metro workers fired after the recent strikes. Additional protestors marched in support of demilitarization of the Military Police while others joined the group to show their support for families displaced due to ongoing construction in the city. Two hundred police officers followed the march and no incidents were reported.
Read more (in Portuguese).
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