Around 150 supporters of LGBT rights came under attack from far-right groups. Police arrested around 25 so-called "hooligans".
A gay pride parade in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has ended in violence after around 150 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender marchers came under attack.
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The organisers of “KyivPride2015” had been warned by the city’s mayor Vitaly Klitschko that the event could be cancelled because of a threat of violence from far-right groups.
One man injured in the attack explained that “people are often beaten and there are incidents like today’s but society prefers to turn a blind eye to what is happening. It’s for that reason that it’s necessary to hold the pride march. It’s an urgent issue”, he added.
One woman caught up in the violence said she felt uncomfortable” and finds it “unacceptable” considering she was defending her principles. “The fact people can do something like that to me is horrible,” she explained.
Several hundred police in riot gear were deployed to protect the marchers along Kyiv’s Dnipro River.
According to reports around 25 so-called “hooligans” were arrested for being involved in the violence.
Ukrainian authorities have increased their support for LGBT rights since the current pro-European government took office last year.