A large crowd of upwards of 2,000 people turned out June 18 in Vilnius for the Baltic Pride march for equality. The marchers included several foreign ambassadors—Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon, Norwegian ambassador Dag Malmer Halvorsen and others—as well as Lithuanian and European politicians human rights activists, LGBT community members and supporters, social organizations and large delegation from Vilnius University. Marchers carried flags and banners identified with thr gay rights movement and different organizations as well as the national flags of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Israel, Russia, the United States, Sweden and others.

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky also attended and said she believes the march is not about gay or lesbian rights, but basic human rights, the right to be who one is.

“There are those who protest, who don’t like this right, they are disgusted and they don’t like people who are different. I would advise such people to read some medical literature. Being gay or lesbian is not a disease. One doesn’t need to be cured of it, and these people don’t have to be fixed. We should accept them as they are,” Faina Kukliansky pointed out.

“Not that much time has passed since Hitler wanted only the Aryan race to survive, people with blue eyes, and we know how that ended. Jews are also different, that’s why they murdered them. I have heard so many angry speeches, questions, what are these parades for… You hear talk of the stench from the street [from the gay parade]. Who are these people? The sort of people who give rise to inquisitions and ignorance,” she continued.

“The disabled are also different, people who are not welcome everywhere. The Vilnius Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium has become one of the most accessible places for the disabled,” Kukliansky commented.