Pride London: Amnesty stages mock Eurovision contest

Human rights organisation to award ‘null points’ to six European countries for their poor LGBT rights record

Today Amnesty International members will join the annual Gay Pride parade in London and stage a mock Eurovision contest – on a huge float featuring a giant scoreboard and music.

Amnesty International supporters will be awarding “null points” to European countries with poor records on lesbian, gay and transgender (LGBT) rights.

Kim Manning-Cooper, Amnesty International UK’s LGBT campaigner, said:

“While the Pride events in London are set to be awash with glitz, glamour and joy – the story in other European countries is very different.

“On the continent, LGBT people experience very different treatment and protection.

“Recently the first ever Pride event in Sofia was targeted by petrol bombs, rocks and bottles, while last year’s event in Croatia and Hungary suffered a similar fate.

“Meanwhile, the Romanian capital, Bucharest, has played host to an anti-gay ‘March for Normality’. In Riga, last year’s ‘World Against Homosexuality’ concert attracted an audience of several thousand.

“Amnesty International will be shining a spotlight on these countries and encouraging everyone to take action. It’s time Europe put homophobia in the dustbin of history where it belongs.”