Bologna, June 23, 2002
To the Director of Libero
Dr. Vittorio Feltri
Dear Director,
On Sunday, Libero gave ample coverage to the attack suffered by radical Yasha Reibman during the Milan Gay Pride parade.
It was a violent act and, therefore, contrary to the spirit of Pride, a great celebration of plurality, freedom, and respect.
The organizers harshly condemned this serious incident from the stage. I myself was immediately pushed afterward while defending Reibman from a second attack: My Arcigay flag also fell to the ground, its handle broken by the three or four attackers who, I must emphasize, were not members of the gay, lesbian, and transgender movement. This is also why I was struck by the viciousness with which the radical spokesperson lashed out against homosexual organizations, accusing them of doing nothing to combat sexual discrimination worldwide.
For the correct information of your readers, allow me to deny those gratuitous and ill-informed statements.
Reibman forgets, for example, Arcigay's involvement in the recent pressure campaign on Egyptian authorities against the arrest of 52 homosexual Egyptians, which culminated in a demonstration outside the Egyptian embassy in Rome, attended by a delegation of the Italian Radicals led by national secretary Daniele Capezzone. A few months earlier, our delegation had participated in the Belgrade Gay Pride parade, which was attacked by Milosevic supporters.
Last June 7th, we were at the Jerusalem Pride Parade, marching alongside gay Israelis and Palestinians, to bring a message of peace to that tormented land. On that occasion, a small group of Orthodox Jews attacked our activists, snatching the Italian flag and the association's flag from their hands, demonstrating that fundamentalism has no political affiliation or nationality.
Two weeks ago, in Padua, Arcigay organized a conference on the rights of homosexuals in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region. Among the speakers was Adnan Ali, president of Al Fatihia, an international organization of gay Muslims very active in denouncing anti-gay oppression in Islamic countries. It can be heard again on the Radio Radicale website. This is to re-establish the truth of the facts and prevent our fight for freedom and peace from being exploited for other ends.
Best regards
Sergio Lo Giudice
National President of Arcigay
