ANTI-GAY RALLY IN VILNIUS DRAWS EU'S ATTENTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000395

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: PHUM LH
SUBJECT: ANTI-GAY RALLY IN VILNIUS DRAWS EU'S ATTENTION


Classified By: Political/Economic Section Chief Rebecca Dunham for reas
on 1.4 (d)


1. (U) Summary: An anti-homosexual rally in downtown Vilnius
on May 25, originally planned to coincide with a
pro-diversity rally, drew a small, non-violent crowd. The
City of Vilnius' decision to prevent the European
Commission-sponsored pro-diversity and gay pride rally from
taking place has drawn fire from the EU and western
institutions, including rumored threats of withdrawing a
planned Gender Equality Institute from Vilnius. End summary.


Anti-gay Protest Eclipses Anti-discrimination Event
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2. (U) A group calling itself "For Morals and Nation"
organized an unauthorized anti-homosexual rally in the public
square in front of the government offices in downtown Vilnius
on Friday May 25. Information about the demonstration was
circulated via the internet and flyers with a graphic
anti-gay logo (also used by anti-gay protestors in Riga)
announcing plans for the demonstration were posted around the
city. Approximately ten participants, mostly teenagers and
young adults, wore white t-shirts bearing the same anti-gay
logo and passed out flyers labeled "Resist Homosexual
Propaganda." Towards the end of the rally the organizers
raised a large Lithuanian flag and chanted "Lithuania." The
stated goal of the group, which is an informal affiliation of
citizens "fighting to preserve the institute of family," was
to protest pro-homosexual "propaganda" and public declaration
of homosexuality, which they claim will corrupt children.
One participant was overheard explaining that he was
exercising his right to free speech and trying to protect
children by passing out the flyers. Embassy observers
estimated that less than fifty people showed up deliberately
for the rally; however, the normal lunch time crowd made it
difficult to identify participants from passersby. One local
television station covered the event. A member of the For
Morals and Nation Group and President of the Lithuanian
Nationalist Union, Marius Kundrotas, told local press that
the group had "already succeeded" in keeping homosexuals from
holding a public demonstration. The event passed without
incident.


3. (U) The anti-gay demonstration was originally planned as a
counter-rally to coincide with a European
Commission-sponsored event titled "For Diversity, Against
Discrimination". The centerpiece of the EC event would have
been a pro-diversity trailer designed to spread information
about tolerance and equal opportunities around Europe. The
Lithuanian Gay League had planned to participate and hold up
a thirty-meter-long rainbow flag in the square. Vilnius
Mayor Juozas Imbrasas publicly expressed opposition to the
pro-diversity event. Vilnius city officials subsequently
refused to issue a permit to the EC pro-diversity and
gay-pride demonstration, claiming that the anti-homosexual
rally could lead to outbreaks of violence. The Lithuanian
Gay League NGO stated they would respect the decision of the
City and held two smaller, indoor gay-pride events on May 24
and 25 instead. NGO Members told Embassy officials that they
were considering legal action against the city, but still had
approximately 30 days to decide whether or not to bring the
issue to court.

EU Distressed, Weighing Response
--------------


4. (U) After the City of Vilnius refused to issue a permit
for the pro-diversity event, the European Commission released
a statement condemning the decision. The EC highlighted that
this was the first time in the four years that the EC
pro-diversity trailer has been on tour that an event has been
canceled by local authorities. Other European institutions
quickly echoed the condemnation; Council of Europe Human
Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg urged Vilnius to
reconsider its decision and foster "the freedom of meetings
for all citizens" as required under the European Convention
on Human Rights. The Lithuanian Equal Opportunities
Ombudsman's Office has initiated an investigation into
whether the Vilnius Municipality had any legal grounds for
prohibiting the pro-diversity event.


5. (U) Lithuania was granted the right to host the European
Gender Equality Institute by the European Parliament in 2006.
This development delighted Lithuanian elites still excited
about Lithuania's accession to the EU in 2004. The Institute
is supposed to be established later this year, and would be
the first EU institute in Lithuania. Following the decision
not to allow the pro-diversity event, there was media
speculation that Lithuania might lose this privilege,
including a comment by Giedre Purvaneckiene, an advisor to
the Prime Minister, who said that the European Commission is

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reconsidering the decision to establish the Institute in
Vilnius.

Comment
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6. (C) The Vilniu municipality's position on the
pro-diversity and gay pride events highlights the gulf
between EU expectations of tolerance and those observed in
Lithuania. The relatively homogenous Lithuanian society
suffers from some of the xenophobia and prejudices that
sometimes accompany homogenous cultures. These attitudes
present a stumbling block to this country's ability to
quickly adopt the EU standards of gender and racial tolerance
and equality. The Lithuanian desire to be treated as equals
in the EU rather than as second-class citizens will push an
enlightened minority to try to enforce EU standards of
tolerance, and the fear of losing the privilege of hosting
the Gender Equality Institute will prod a few others, but
there remains much work to be done before the tolerance
accorded to gays in Western Europe becomes the norm here.
KELLY