October 2008
Homophobic violence at first Sarajevo Queer festival
The first Sarajevo Queer Festival took place between 24 and 28 September 2008. Organized by a non-governmental organization called Udruženje Q, the festival of art and culture included exhibitions, performances, public discussions and films.
However, in the run-up to the festival, some politicians and certain parts of the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina unleashed a homophobic campaign. The threats issued against the organizers of the first Queer Sarajevo Festivala in the previous month or so culminated and materialized on 24 September, during the opening ceremony.
"The Police has noted this Festival as a high risk event, but didn`t act on it. They allowed 100-150 football hooligans and Vehabis to reach the entrance of the facility and left it to the private security to deal with the extremists. The Police didn`t even try to disperse the gathering that wasn`t even properly registered with the authorities. Again it misread the situation, didn`t recognize who was under threat, and the violence was not only allowed, but supported", said LBGTIQ activist Zoe Gudović. Meanwhile, the surrounding streets were scenes of total terror and atmosphere of a witch-hunt.
Eyewitnesses claim that football hooligans even pulled people out of their cars and beat them. After 22:00 hours, the mob in front of the Academy dispersed, but a series of incidents in the other parts of the city followed.
Many publications, including the popular Dnevni Avaz newspaper and the magazine SAFF, used derogatory language in relation to lesbian and gay people. Death threats were issued on the Internet against individual gay rights activists.
A number of websites called for the organizers of the festival to be lynched, stoned, doused with petrol or expelled from the country. Appeals were also made to the public to disrupt the festival.
Amnesty International organized a campaign to take action by sending an email to the Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, calling on him to protect the Sarajevo Queer Festival and the country's gay rights activists.
More information:
More on Udruženje Q and the festival
Q Association: Bosnia and Herzegovina is secular state
Source: OneWorld
The Association Q responded to the false and insulting information about the first Queer Sarajevo Festival (QSF) and against members of LGBTIQ population in Bosnia and Herzegovina published in the daily paper Dnevni Avaz (August 28 and September 2) and magazine SAFF (August 22).
First queer Sarajevo festival – chrystal night in Sarajevo
Source: Oneworld
Although some media, NGOs and the international community condemned the hate speech, no sanctions followed, which ultimately resulted in an open violence against Queer Festival and the LGBTQ population in general.
Sarajevo Queer Festival organizers still under threat
Source: Amnesty International, 1 October 2008
A highly personal account
Source: Andy's Film World blog, 1 October 2008
Help fight discrimination and violence
The informal group Gradjani Sarajeva (Citizens of Sarajevo) invites all citizens of Sarajevo to join them in a protest - Saturday, October 4, at 13:00 hours in front of the Sarajevo Cathedral.
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