An action in support of sexual minorities was held in front of the MFA building in Minsk on June 28. Members of the theatrical laboratory Fortinbras of the Belarusian Free Theatre organized it. They put flowerbeds of many colours next to the monument to a city policeman and painted footprints leading to the building of the Ministry of internal Affairs (rainbow colours are the LGBT symbol).
The action participants urged the MFA “to reconsider their narrow-mindedness and protect the rights of LGTB citizens who do not violate the law and pay taxes thus financing the Ministry.”
The picketers were detained 20 minutes later. A photographer working for a Belarusian media outlet was also detained.
Policemen tried persuading the picketers to take the flowerbeds away but they did not agree.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and its head Ihar Shunevch made homophobic statements in May. Homosexual relations are ‘a fake’, the MFA wrote in a statement on its official website. “They will not pass!” the police agency stressed.
Various actions in support of the LGTB community were organized after that. Activist Vika Baran uploaded a photo of herself holding the poster “No, you are a fake” near the MFA and other official buildings. U.S. and Canadian gay pride participants ridiculed Minister Shunevich.