Nazi parade

One does not feel really embarrassed about events in his own country too often, but last Saturday there was a reason. The first-ever Czech queer parade, a march of gays and lesbians through a city, ended up a fiasco. A few days before the parade, Brno was covered with posters saying „Beat it, faggots!“ Those taking part in the parade were attacked by neo-Nazis a few minutes after the start and the organisers had to stop the march. After half an hour, they decided to shorten the route instead of calling the parade off, but injuries and a neo-Nazi tear-gas attack forced them to call it a day anyway after another 20 minutes.

The colourful and merry parade of homosexuals is one of the litmus papers of a liberal society. Tolerance towards the event – or, even better, joy about its existence – is what makes Berlin different from Moscow and Belgrade. The fierceness with which Czech extremists marred the event suggests we are still closer to the latter two.

But something about the comparison doesn't work. It’s not institutions or the public that seem to fail when it comes to gays and lesbians. The law on registered partnership has been in effect for two years and it is supported by 75% of Czechs. Brno officials banned two far-right protests before Saturday's parade. One of the cabinet ministers headed the queer parade. True, an ultra-conservative Catholic priest was running around with a crucifix, throwing…