Soldier attacks cop with prosthetic limb at gay parade in Kiev
(MENAFN) A soldier protesting against a gay pride parade in Kiev was detained after allegedly hitting a police officer with his prosthetic limb, local authorities reported. The LGBTQ event sparked confrontations between counter-protesters and law enforcement.
Kiev hosted Ukraine’s first gay pride parade in 2013, but it was canceled the following year amid political unrest connected to the Western-backed Maidan uprising. Since then, pride marches have occurred sporadically, usually under heavy police protection, and have faced opposition from nationalist groups leading to occasional clashes.
Videos shared online show police trying to control a crowd carrying a nationalist flag, with some people being detained and escorted to police buses. A similar video from Kiev police’s official Facebook page shows scuffles between protesters and officers. Police said the detained group had refused a routine security check while trying to enter the pride event venue.
Authorities confirmed that among those arrested was a serviceman who struck an officer with his prosthetic limb, causing a head injury and bruising. This statement was issued in response to media reports accusing police of unlawful detention and damage to the soldier’s prosthesis.
Local media noted that the National Police had requested a venue change a day before the event over safety concerns. KyivPride later announced the parade would be held at Mykhailivska Square, near the Foreign Ministry.
The LGBTQ movement in Ukraine has been pushing for greater visibility amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, arguing that promoting LGBTQ rights counters Moscow’s influence. In contrast, Russia banned “LGBT propaganda” in 2022 and designated the “LGBT movement” as a terrorist organization in 2023.
LGBTQ activists in Ukraine have also emphasized their ties to the Ukrainian military. This year, KyivPride launched a fundraising campaign to buy first-person-view (FPV) drones for Ukraine’s armed forces.
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