Protesters rally outside Bulgarian parliament to denounce ban on LGBTQ+ 'propaganda' in schools

Protesters rallied outside Bulgaria's parliament, yesterday, Thursday, August 9 to denounce a controversial legal amendment adopted the day before that bans talk of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning or queer) and so-called non-traditional sexual choices in schools.

The protest was organised by feminists, LGBTQ+ and other rights groups calling for a reversal of that amendment, banning what supporters call "LGBTQ+ propaganda in schools".

Waving the rainbow flag, the protesters chanted slogans including “Bulgaria is no Russia” and “Silence means death” as police officers guarded the rally.

No violence was reported.

Furthermore, Bulgaria's parliament on Wednesday approved the amendment to the country's education legislation, introduced by the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party and surprisingly, backed by some pro-European Union parties, stated a report by PTI.

The lawmakers in the 240-seat parliament voted 159 in favour of the change. European rights groups, like the Belgium-based Forbidden Colors, condemned the legislation as an assault on the fundamental rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly children.

“It is deeply troubling to see Bulgaria adopting tactics from Russia's anti-human rights playbook. Such actions are not only regressive but are also in direct contradiction to the values of equality and non-discrimination that the European Union stands for,” Forbidden Colors said in a statement on its website.