Since this year Ukraine hosts the Eurovision Song Contest many local LGBT groups wanted to raise visibility on local LGBT issues in the Country, including our friends at Gender Z who held their traditional rainbow flashmob to celebrate IDAHOT 2017.
However, unlike previous years this year’s flashmob was the first time held outside, in a central place in Zaporizhia. Gender Z’s supporters came out to celebrate diversity, calling for being tolerant to anyone regardless of race or ethnicity, social status, gender identity or sexual orientation, HIV status, presence or absence of disability, stating the phrase “Celebrate Diversity” from paper letters. At the end of the Rainbow Flash-mob, participants made wishes and released multicolored balloons.
First public flashmob held in eastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia
The participants’ fest mood was shaded by the attack, which was committed after the event, in front of Gender Z’s office. Unidentified far-right thugs, who secretly followed some of the flash-mobers retreat, attacked three of them, two boys and one girl, and beat them.
Offenders are being wanted by the police.