It’s sad but true that every year’s Pride season brings stories of violence at gay pride events. This year is no exception.
In Pittsburgh, a police officer is accused of assaulting a civilian.
Edge Boston reports:
A Pittsburgh police officer has been put on desk duty after video surfaced showing him punching a woman at the city’s gay pride parade and festival. Mayor Bill Peduto said Monday the officer will remain on restricted duty for a month during an internal investigation.
In Vienna, Austria, a lesbian Member of Parliament was attacked with acid.
Pink News reports:
Ulrike Lunacek, who is the head of the Austrian Greens in the European Parliament, was sprayed with acid while giving an interview at the Rainbow Parade on Friday. Police spokeswoman Barbara Riehs told The Local the attacker has not yet been found, though he is described as wearing a white polo shirt, with dark hair and a “solid stature.” They were sprayed with butyric acid, which can cause pain, blistering and skin burns, while exposure to the eyes may result in pain, severe deep burns and loss of vision.
Fortunately Lunacek was unharmed in the incident.
And in Los Angeles, it was a bomb threat.
Pink News reports:
200 people were evacuated from the Trans Pride LA festival on Saturday night, due to a bomb threat. The two-day event – which was due to conclude with a film screening at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center’s Renberg Theatre – was evacuated by police shortly before 9pm on Saturday. The organisers of the festival said in a statement: “We at Trans Pride L.A. regret the situation that abruptly ended yesterday’s event, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude. It saddens us greatly that the day had to end on a negative note.
It’s sad the lengths to which some folks will go to disrupt these peaceful events that harm no one.
This post originally appeared on the Purple Roofs Gay Travel Blog.
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