Peaceful Pride Marches in Tampere and Oulu
Pride march in Tampere.
Image: Yle
Pride marches organized in the cities of Tampere and Oulu on Saturday were carried out without incident. The Tampere march, organized by local activitists, and the Oulu event, organized by the national LGBTI rights organization Seta, drew a few hundred participants each.
Both events were described as peaceful. Police and security personnel were on hand along the routes. Organizers say that there were around 300 participants in Tampere and some 500 in Oulu.
Weekend Pride events in Oulu are expected to draw more than 2000 people and those in Oulu more than a thousand. They are aimed at reminding the public of the rights of sexual and gender minorities and to protest discrimnation, racism and bias against gay and transgenedered people.
Earlier this month the Pride march in Helsinki was disrupted when a small group of opponants sprayed peppergas on dozens of particiants.
YLE