Rio de Janeiro celebrated last Sunday (18) the 17th edition of the LGBT Pride Parade.
The demonstration began around 16pm, going from station 2 to station 9. In total, 15 electric trios were part of the route. This year, the Gay Parade raised the theme: "Heart has no prejudices. It has love." The opening of the demonstration featured the transvestite Jane Di Castro (photo below) singing the National Anthem.
Once again, the State Secretary for the Environment, Carlos Minc, was one of those present. Minc made a point of remembering the importance of the march, stating that "it is in the streets that freedom is achieved".
Fashion designer and activist Carlos Tufvesson, from the Special Coordination of Sexual Diversity, recalled the need for complaints to combat homophobic crimes. "We have to assert the civil rights already achieved. We have to fight to ensure our rights, such as stable unions already recognized by the STF [Supreme Federal Court]", he declared.
Cláudio Nascimento, superintendent of Individual, Collective and Diffuse Rights at the Secretariat of Social Assistance and Human Rights, highlighted the presence of the "Rio Without Homophobia" program, of which he is coordinator, during the demonstration.
“The parade speaks to society as a whole, provides citizenship services and also encourages the gay community to know and seek their rights. The presence of Rio Sem Homofobia at the event reinforces the State Government’s leading role in combating homophobia,” he stated.
Although the organizers had estimated a larger audience, the Military Police announced that around 700 people attended the Parade.
To maintain order and security, Rio City Hall provided 350 Municipal Guards throughout the route. The demonstration continued without major incidents, only theSome cases of theft and minor accidents were recorded.
