Editing Pride parade (section)

====Latvia====
{{Main|Riga Pride and Friendship Days}}

On July 22, 2005, the first Latvian gay pride march took place in [[Riga]], surrounded by protesters. It had previously been banned by the [[Riga City Council]], and the then-[[Prime Minister of Latvia]], [[Aigars Kalvītis]], opposed the event, stating Riga should "not promote things like that", however a court decision allowed the march to go ahead.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4708617.stm | work=BBC News | title=Latvia gay pride given go-ahead | date=July 22, 2005 | access-date=2010-05-22}}</ref> In 2006, LGBT people in Latvia attempted a Parade but were assaulted by "No Pride" protesters, an incident sparking a storm of international media pressure and protests from the European Parliament at the failure of the Latvian authorities to adequately protect the Parade so that it could proceed.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

In 2007, following international pressure, a Pride Parade was held once again in Riga with 4,500 people parading around [[Vērmane Garden]], protected physically from "No Pride" protesters by 1,500 [[State Police (Latvia)|Latvian police]], with ringing the inside and the outside of the iron railings of the park. Two fire crackers were detonated with one being thrown from outside at the end of the festival as participants were moving off to the buses. A man and his son were afterwards arrested by the police.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/baltijas-praida-2012-gajienu-ar-svilpieniem-sagaida-vairaki-protestetaji.a6934/|title="Baltijas praida 2012" gājienu ar svilpieniem sagaida vairāki protestētāji|date=2012-06-02|website=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]]|language=lv|access-date=2019-05-19}}</ref> This caused some alarm but no injury, although participants did have to run the gauntlet of "No Pride" abuse as they ran to the buses. They were driven to a railway station on the outskirts of Riga, from where they went to a post Pride "relax" at the seaside resort of [[Jūrmala]]. Participants included [[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]], [[Amnesty International]] observers and random individuals who travelled from abroad to support LGBT Latvians and their friends and families.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

In 2008, the Riga Pride was held in the historically potent 11. novembra krastmala (November 11 [[Bank (geography)|Embankment]]) beneath the [[Riga Castle]]. The participants heard speeches from MEPs and a message of support from the [[President of Latvia|Latvian President]]. The embankment was not open and was isolated from the public with some participants having trouble getting past police cordons. About 300 ''No Pride'' protesters gathered on the bridges behind barricades erected by the police who kept Pride participants and the "No Pride" protesters separated. Participants were once more "bused" out but this time a 5-minute journey to central Riga.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

In 2009, the annual Baltic Pride was launched, with the first edition being held in Riga with a march. This event and the following ones have been held without serious incidents.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-05-15 |title=Baltic Pride march gets green light in Latvia |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2009/05/baltic-pride-march-gets-green-light-latvia-20090515/ |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=Amnesty International |language=en}}</ref>

The 2012 Baltic Pride was held on June 2. The parade marched through Tērbatas street from the corner of Ģertrūdes street towards Vērmane Garden, where concerts and a conference were held. The events were attended by the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Latvia|United States Ambassador to Latvia]] [[Judith G. Garber|Judith Garber]] and the Latvian [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Latvia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]], [[Edgars Rinkēvičs]].<ref name=":1" />

In 2015, Riga hosted the pan-European [[Europride|EuroPride]] event with about 5000 participants engaging in approximately 50 cultural and entertainment events.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ir.lv/2015/06/20/eiropraida-riga-piedalijusies-aptuveni-5000-cilveku/|title=Eiropraidā Rīgā piedalījušies aptuveni 5000 cilvēku • IR.lv|date=2015-06-20|website=[[Ir (newspaper)|Ir.lv]]|language=lv-LV|access-date=2019-05-19}}</ref>

The Baltic Pride event returned to Riga in 2018, the year of the [[Latvia 100|centenary of the independence of Latvia]] and all three [[Baltic states]]. An estimated 8000 people took part.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvnet.lv/4515415/riga-bez-lieliem-starpgadijumiem-nosledzies-baltijas-praids|title=Rīgā bez lieliem starpgadījumiem noslēdzies "Baltijas praids"|date=2018-06-09|website=TVNET|language=lv|access-date=2019-05-19}}</ref> The events took place for 100 days from March 3 to June 10 with the parade being held through the city on June 9.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/riga-to-host-baltic-pride-2018.a237037/|title=Riga to host Baltic Pride 2018|date=2017-09-19|website=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]]|language=en|access-date=2019-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.delfi.lv/a/50106095|title=Foto: Vērmanes dārzā noslēdzies Baltijas praida gājiens; policija aizturējusi vienu personu|date=2018-06-09|website=[[Delfi (web portal)|delfi.lv]]|language=lv|access-date=2019-05-19}}</ref>