The annual Baltic Pride which rotates between the capitals of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania took place in Vilnius on Saturday, drawing an estimated crowd of up to 20,000 people, according to the event’s organisers.
This year’s march follows in the wake of the Constitutional Court’s decision allowing civil union, saying the current lack of legislation is anti-constitutional.
Chair of the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL), Vladimiras Simonko, told BNS ahead of the march that the event carries a “spirit of protest”.
“We are dissatisfied with politicians who avoid passing laws that are necessary for our community. That’s why this march will be both a protest and a celebration – that too is a form of protest,” Simonko told BNS.
According to him, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their marches have become part of the capital.
“Vilnius is not yet Lithuania. Vilnius is a kind of bubble – a very good bubble – where one can live. We see how Vilnius, as a city, is changing, and we are already becoming part of Vilnius, and this celebration is now held together with the city of Vilnius – something I couldn’t even have dreamed of ten years ago,” said Simonko.
More from the day – in pictures below.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
