Tens of thousands attend Belgian Pride
The parade is part of the Belgian Pride Festival, a series of event organised by the LGBT community between 4 and 21 May. The theme of this year’s Pride Festival is “Crossing Borders” with the focus being set on issues confronting LGBT refugees.
Saturday’s festivities were centred around the Kunstberg in Central Brussels. There was the “Village” with various rainbow-coloured stands. There were also DJs that played sets from midday to midnight.
As well as representatives of LGBT pressure groups, a number of politicians from across the political spectrum also took part in the parade. Around 20 asylum-seekers also took part in the parade.
Asylum and migration
Camille Pier of the Brussels Rainbow House told VRT News that this year’s theme of LGBT refugees is very topical.
"During asylum procedures countries that don’t have clear laws against homosexuality of trans-identity are often considered to be safe countries. However, laws don’t always tie in with the moral climate and certain countries are definitely not safe for homosexuals, transgender and others”.
