The police detained 56 members of a far-right group who attempted to disrupt the march with gas canisters.
KIEV, Ukraine — More than 50 Ukrainian far-right activists were detained in Kiev on Sunday after they tried to disrupt a gay pride march, the police said.
As around 5,000 people gathered for the march amid a huge security presence, about 150 members of a far-right group tried to block the route.
Several threw gas canisters at the police. Five officers had to seek medical treatment, the authorities said.
Fifty-six protesters were detained, and the march took place without incident, participants with rainbow flags and multicolored hair walking through the capital.
The number of participants was roughly double that of the previous year. The United States ambassador, Marie Yovanovitch, and Rebecca Harms of the European Parliament were at the front of the march.
Along the way supporters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights were guarded by some 5,000 officers, including mounted police officers.
“There must always be the police, otherwise someone will come, otherwise someone will interrupt, otherwise someone will attack,” said one marcher, Liza, 19. She said, “I think this is not the way it should be in a civilized country.”
Another marcher, Svitlana, 20, said, “We just want to show that we are here — all different, but all equal.”
In addition to the far-right activists, people who said they were defenders of “traditional family values” were also present to protest the march.
Homophobia is still commonplace in post-Soviet Ukraine, but tin Kiev, the authorities are attempting to demonstrate their tolerance by allowing pride marches to take place, a contrast to neighboring Russia.
