In some cases, right-wing media did not limit themselves by claiming that Pride’s organisers are enemies of the nation, but targeted any individual with anti-conservative views. The usual division in Bosnian media, by political affiliation, was clearly visible. The majority of media used this post to provide space for accusations, political acrimony and even insults. People like them should be isolated and removed “away from our children”, she suggested.Ī screenshot of her Facebook status went viral on social media and spread through the traditional media, serving as a focus for debates about whether Pride should happen or not. She said that the small group of organizers behind Pride aim to destroy the country and its people. They dismissed various organisations and individuals who had been active within the LGBTIQ community as a group of sick people who should be ashamed of themselves and suggested that the event should be called a “Shame March” instead.Īmong the first to openly criticize the announcement of Sarajevo Pride was Samra Cosovic Hajdarevic, Member of Cantonal Assembly from Bosniak Party of Democratic Action (SDA), the largest Bosniak party. Such ‘concerns’ were also voiced by the main right-wing Bosniak (Muslim) parties. They add that it risks security concerns and will offend Sarajevans’ religious feelings, who – according to their generalisation – consider anything but heterosexuality a sin. The predominant narrative among social-media users and in online publications is similar. Instead, the latter’s report concentrate mostly on “technicalities” such as the number of policemen who will secure the event or which parts of city will be blocked this Sunday. You can hardly see these people’s faces and hear their voices in mainstream media. Only a small minority of outlets give their platform to people who are openly homosexual, transgender or other. Likewise, today, most Bosnian media had stayed predominantly on the side of ignorance, abandoning their “educational” role. Today, the violence that accompanied this event serves as a silent threat to organisers and participants of Sunday’s Pride. They insulted the visitors, spat on them and launched a standoff that resulted in physical violence, which saw at least a dozen people injured.Īt the time, some media outlets plaid a sad role in inciting such anti-LGBTIQ violence. On the day of the event, dozens of hooligans and members of hard-line so-called Wahhabi group gathered in front of the building of the Academy of Fine Arts, the location of the festival.
Prior to its launch, the whole city was filled with banners saying that queerness is an “illness of modern times.” These banners were followed by threats of physical violence. In 2008, the Queer Sarajevo Fest was launched. In the five months since it was announced in April, the Pride has been the focus of dispute between the minority of Bosnians who support this event and the majority who are either “decent enough” to look the other way or openly violent and extremely toxic about it.Īlready, Sarajevo is the last capital city in the region to host its own Pride.
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