Bucharest gay pride march turns 20 as LGBTQ+ Romanians face growing hostility from right-wing groups

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ supporters took to the streets of Romania’s capital Saturday for its annual gay pride parade, following a tense election cycle marked by an increase in hate speech against the community.

Marchers of all ages walked through Bucharest’s streets and down the central Victory Avenue, as many waved colorful flags, blew whistles and held placards that read: “Be proud, be bold, be you!” Held since 2005, the event marked Bucharest Pride’s 20th anniversary.

A highly divisive and chaotic election cycle in Romania saw a rise in support for far-right and conservative political figures and parties in the European Union member, one of the bloc’s most religious countries.

Victor Ciobotaru, executive director of ACCEPT Association, an LGBTQ+ rights group, told The Associated Press that throughout the 2024-2025 election cycle, the organization registered “a huge increase” in hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community.

“We had more people complaining about being harassed on the streets or being attacked,” he said. “This hate speech doesn’t remain without effect. We can feel the tension within the society … We are going to continue to fight for our rights, no matter the political climate.”

Earlier on Saturday, right-wing groups who advocate for traditional family values and oppose same-sex marriage held an anti-LGBT countermarch in the capital, with many waving Romania's tricolor national flag and others holding placards depicting religious icons.

Before the parade, the ACCEPT association also reported a large “STOP LGBT” banner that had been draped over an abandoned Bucharest apartment building, which was later removed.

“These types of actions are now more legitimized by the hate discourse which was spread all during these years, during these electoral campaigns,” Ciobotaru said. “We will not be afraid to go on the streets.”

This year marks 24 years since Romania, a country of about 19 million, decriminalized homosexuality.

In ILGA-Europe’s 2025 Rainbow Map, which assesses the legal and policy landscape for LGBTQ+ people across Europe, Romania ranked last among all 27 EU countries, followed by Poland and Bulgaria, the advocacy group found.

Stephen McGrath reported from Targu Mures.

Opponents of gay rights hold religious icons during the Bucharest Pride Parade in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

People hold a rainbow flag banner during the gay pride parade in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

A participant in the Bucharest Pride Parade strikes a pose in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A woman holds a religious icon during a rally by right wing groups and their supporters opposing same sex marriage and sexual education in schools, ahead of the Bucharest Pride parade in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

People dance while holding rainbow flags during the Bucharest Pride Parade, in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Yamal dances while holding a rainbow flag during the Bucharest Pride Parade, in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

DENVER (AP) — A Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway of the Denver International Airport during takeoff, airport authorities said, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate.

The plane, on route from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday," the airport's official X account wrote.

A spokesperson for the airport said the pedestrian, who jumped a perimeter fence, has died. They said the unidentified person was hit two minutes after entering the airport. The person is not believed to be an airport employee.

“We're stopping on the runway,” the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”

The pilot tells the air traffic controller they have “231 souls” on board and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”

The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now" before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”

Frontier Airlines said in a statement flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.

“The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members,” the airline said. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.”

Passengers were then evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.

Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. It is expected to open later today.

The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident nor the name of the employee.

“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. "We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”

FILE - A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)