Merilyn Sakova Candids

Belgrade in Belgrade, a day of sun and destruction

My eyes are open from early morning, finally woke up not by cold feet but by the sun slanting on my face. No sound comes from the street, waiting to warm up the tea water I wonder where she is the long line of cars clacsonanti I tore a smile to every revival the last few days, making me come up with the traffic via Duomo Naples. I leaned over, Admiral Gepri street is deserted, the two ends of policemen on a war footing in double row, with shining helmets and batons are stored. Welcome to the days of color and freedom of expression, the pride of being different, but rather the ability to express it without being beaten: the Gay Pride in Belgrade. They said on TV that more than six thousand police officers were deployed along the route of the event and in different parts of the city, connected to the mobile units to move quickly if required, and supported by helicopters, armored hammer and army units. This time the Serbian state has taken the responsibility for deploying all its forces parade, reminiscent of the lynchings of 2001, the first attempt at a Gay Pride in the city, government and the humiliation of 2009, when the event was first moved and then canceled by the organizers of the impossibility of ensuring the safety of protesters. After a quick shower, I walk towards the park Manjez cheerful, the starting point of the parade, crossing cordons of police on every street, a few passers-by, a little 'because it's Sunday, a little' Belgrade because many expect the worst.

A friend who was anxious to reach me is calling me saying he can not get out: Some youth groups have been waging a battle with the police in his own way, have already set fire to two cars, for now he remains holed up at home. The atmosphere becomes even more heavy when agents check me several times in the documents, I searched and ask questions before you leave to enter the park with a bracelet and a pink sticker for recognition. In the garden is like being in a dream, the music sends a high repetition hit and glam rock seventies and eighties, a host of festive colors, smiles, gay and straight, young and old hippies, elegant gentlemen in double-, and anti-fascist groups human rights organizations, delegations from the Balkans and Eastern Europe, are preparing to withdraw. I know several boys and girls Belgrade, are in fibrillation, keep telling me that this is a historical moment, at last the longed-for Gay Pride may proceed without fear of right-wing extremists and football hooligans who infest the city. Warm smile, but we are all aware of how this park is a ghetto presided over by the army, if there were no weapons to defend ourselves we'll not do so well, and some fear remains suspended in the air thinking at the time to get out here. The stage set up for the occasion, take the word of the OSCE and representatives of the European Parliament and the Serbian Minister for Human Rights and Minority Svetozar Ciplic, booed for his tepid defense of the rights of the LGBT community. Many European diplomats are mixed with the crowd, visibly complacent. He read a lot lately in the newspapers critical of the government of Tadic as the Gay Pride has been an event for many more "political" set up for Europe, a test of democracy "in the eyes of foreigners, that the true expression of popular sentiments. In fact, you feel a certain conservatism in Serbian society. Yesterday they peacefully expressed their opposition to the parade, many families and faithful of the Orthodox Church, supported by some long-bearded priest, waving wooden crosses, and pointing to homosexuals as "sodomites." Contiguous but different protests by extremists of the 1389 Group and Obraz (Dignity), which threatened "blood to the knees "and" death to gays "on the city walls and in their newsletters. With the deployment of forces today really seems that the government wants to turn the widespread climate of impunity for those who incite hatred on the other in Serbia.

We go out accompanied by all sides, the peace flags waving in the sun imperative of Belgrade. We will be no more than a thousand, all close to encourage ourselves now that we're on the road. On either side, despite the deterrence of police, hooded guys are watching aggressive in showing us the middle finger. Passing near a church I see a small group of faithful who sings hymns to us with the inevitable icons, deep in dramatic signs of the cross, guarded by a cordon of officers. On the road Nemanjina the procession crosses the two skeletons of military buildings bombed by NATO in 1999, a dark background to joy that passes through us. The parade lasts very little, even after two blocks, routes in half an hour, we arrive at the Student Cultural Center and invade peacefully taking part in the festivities organized. Disco music, beer and dancing releases dampen anxiety, Gay Parade went well, the news from the city are disturbing but no protester was involved. In the early afternoon the festival continues, but begins the 'evacuation'. The police thought everything, is ready to load up small groups of trucks used for the transfer of detainees, to guide them to a safe place. Not far from here, some jackals do not wait more than a few unwary participant who ventures alone to the house. Within in half with a dozen others, we are packed like sardines, there is no light and only a faint breath of air enters through the window. The situation is ludicrous, we are somewhere between prisoners and minorities at risk, do not even know exactly where they lead us. After driving for fifteen minutes, finally opened the door for us to get in front of a police station in Novi Beograd, seemingly far from the fighting.

I decide to walk to the downtown areas, I felt that many guerrillas are underway in various parts of the city. Terazije the intersection there is a large group of kids is devastating and car windows. Passers-by looked curiously, some took refuge in the few shops open. A man tells me that this situation reminds him of the war, in Sarajevo. The faces of these kids, as the case held up as ultra-nationalists, skinheads, hooligans and thugs, or just troublemakers, they are drawn, but they seem to have fun destroying and creating chaos. If they had a gay in his hands probably would kill him, yet they are young, many of them have Less than twenty years, with some girls who are watching them from nearby. There are also some older veteran with a shaved head and amphibians. They decide to break the window of the Nike megastore, past the balloons and staged impromptu practice match between the stones and broken glass. Not even two minutes after arriving in the running cops in riot gear, delivering blows and kicks and a couple of arresting protesters. I am in the midst of the fighting and saved me from the police stop and rest because I do not run, thus proving to be among the violent. The boys, dressed in tracksuits and sneakers acrylic fashion, fleeing in every direction, stopping only for a moment to throw stones from their pursuers. To Finally, the death toll from clashes in the city will be one hundred twenty-four police and rioters injured seventeen, two hundred and four arrests and one million euro in estimated damage. The extremists, he says, were more than six thousand. On international and local news will be fighting to keep the counter, slipping into the background the successful Gay Pride parade. Even some members of opposition parties reiterate their criticism of the government's decision to hold the parade despite knowing that there would be violent protests. For many here in Serbia, as the mayor of Belgrade, sexuality is a matter to be taken within the four walls. I'm going home, a little 'distressed. I also like some of the "extremists" who had escaped arrest'll be coming home, maybe in a suburb of barren fields and cement, into a family that does not give him much listening, too busy to cope with the costs or too absorbed in watching television. I have a feeling that the gay c'entrino little with anger and hatred that have been seen on the streets of Belgrade today they are being objective, tomorrow may be Muslims, Kosovars, emancipated women, hawkers the immigrants. For the generation raised on bread and Serbian football fan, peppered with television commercials and slogans of the Chetniks "Greater Serbia", with few prospects in front of many dilemmas and unresolved behind the explosion of anger seems more a desperate demonstration of presence in the world.