LGBT rights advocates have been detained in at least two cities in China while engaging in IDAHO activities
LGBT rights advocates were detained in at least two Chinese cities when celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).
Officers detained about a dozen LGBT advocates who were handing flyers about IDAHO in a busy mall in downtown Guangzhou, yesterday (17 May) afternoon.
According to Yang Dai, a local activist, the advocates were taken away for questioning and released about an hour later.
Dai added the police was not critical of the event; rather, officers were concerned about the method of handing-out flyers.
And in Changsha, capital city of Hunan province, a Pride march drew over 100 China-wide participants aged 16-54, but some were detained.
According to A Qiang, a Guangzhou activist who supported the Pride march, police arrived this morning (18 May) at a hotel where activists were staying detaining the organizers and several other activists.
Reports suggest that the activists are still being held under police detention.
While in Chengdu, South West China, volunteers from two local LGBT groups, surprized residents of the Sichuan capital by turning up in a central square as a ‘flash mob’, dancing to Kelly Clarkson’s popular song Stronger.
Activists reported feeling encouraged when China’s Central Television Station published a Weibo post on Friday morning advocating respect for the LGBT community.
The post, however, was soon deleted without any explanation.
by Dan Littauer
Source – Gay Star News
