Bosnian capital holds 1st pride parade amid heavy security

Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Sept 8 (AP) Bosnia's capital, Sarajevo, is holding its first ever LGBT pride parade, amid heavy security, while opponents of the event held a gathering of their own. Using sniffer dogs and metal barriers, more than 1,000 police deployed early on Sunday along the route where hundreds of participants marched, singing and waving rainbow flags About a mile away, dozens of followers of a conservative Islamic group have held a rally against the parade.

They described the pride march as a "sin" and "humiliation" for Sarajevo. Extremists and hooligans in the past have attacked two queer events in Sarajevo, predominantly a Muslim city, fueling fears of violence ahead of this event.

Bosnia remains depply conservative, and Sarajevo is the last capital in the Balkans to hold a pride event. (AP) RUP

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