As the colourfully dressed participants made their way through Warsaw's downtown area, they danced, sang, and displayed rainbow flags and banners with LGBT slogans, calling for an end to discrimination against the LGBT+ community.
The annual parade, held for the 22nd time, also aimed to advocate for other minorities, women's rights, disabled people's rights and animals rights.
Among the attendees was Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who addressed the crowds by saying: "A smile signifies tolerance, and tolerance signifies a happy, open, and European society; a signal is being sent to the world that Warsaw is tolerant."
The event saw the participation of officials from France, the United States, and other Western nations, as well as various organizations, political parties, and businesses that traditionally show their support by joining the parade.
US Ambassador to Poland, Mark Brzezinski, carried the American flag and expressed the embassy's commitment to defending equality globally, including in Poland, according to the Polish News Agency PAP.
The issue of LGBT rights remains highly debated within Poland's politically divided landscape.
According to the annual Rainbow Europe index published by ILGA-Europe, an NGO based in Brussels, Poland remains the worst country in the European Union for LGBT people, a position it has maintained since 2020.
In response to the Equality Parade, a "March for Life and the Family" is scheduled to take place in 150 Polish towns on Sunday, presenting a contrasting viewpoint on the matter of LGBT rights.
(ał)
Source: PAP
