Hundreds of thousands of people claim LGTBI rights in Madrid on a day marked by 23J

The organizations have demanded a State Pact against hate crimes from the parties

Hundreds of thousands of people -800,000, according to the Government Delegation, more than a million according to the organization-- marched this Saturday in the Madrid Pride demonstration under the slogan 'For our rights, for our lives, with pride!' and demanding that the political parties include in their electoral programs for 23J a State Pact "that reinforces the social and political consensus in defense of groups in a situation of vulnerability" and rejects "hate speech" that, in the opinion of LGTBI organizations are growing towards the collective in recent years.

"In Spain we are hearing, whether from the institutions, people calling us 'subsidized degenerates', or talking about 'alarming cases of homosexuality and transsexuality', or affirming 'that we are putting the identity of 47 million people at risk', and 'that we have gone from receiving beatings to imposing our law' or 'that pride impregnates the streets of Madrid with its stench', the organizing entities point out in the manifesto read after the demonstration.

In his opinion, in Spain "every day there are more hate traffickers" who, with their words, cause an "increase in discrimination, harassment, insults, aggression, violence, fear and the closet." "Because they point to us for that, they point to us so that they attack us, so that they insult us, so that we go back to the closet," they have denounced.

From the entities they blame in a "direct" way those who "vomit hate from parliaments and institutions" for the "increase in hate crimes" that were registered last year. "Let's be clear: hate crimes are the consequence, but hate speech is the cause," they said.

After recalling the social pact signed this year between entities such as CCOO and UGT; Triangle Foundation; Chrysallis Association; ONCE Foundation; CERMI; on loan; the Youth Council of Spain; Network Hosts; CEAR; HOME YES; o Fundación Secretariado Gitano, to fight against hate crimes, have demanded that the parties reach an agreement among themselves for this very cause.

The proximity of the general elections on 23J has meant that political claims have been very present throughout the day. 'Vote with Pride' or 'This 23J vote for your rights', are some of the slogans that could be read the most on the posters carried by the protesters.

Some went a little further, like Laura, who carried a sign with a photo of the former Vice President of the Government, Carmen Calvo, in which she recalled the socialist's critical position towards the Trans Law. "They have recovered her for the lists of this 23J and I want people to know that voting for the PSOE is supporting her," she explained in statements to Europa Press.

Manuel and Pedro are a couple and they always go to Pride, but this year they think it's different. "You see a lot more people and it's because of the political situation," they point out, to point out that they are "concerned" that after the elections a government of PP and Vox ends up ruling Spain. "They will cut our rights," they explained.

Irene, a 12-year-old trans girl, has acknowledged, for her part, that she is very happy with the Trans Law. She has explained that she has always been clear that she was a girl and with the new norm, and the permission of her parents, she has started the registration change process. Sonia, bisexual, also celebrates the norm of Montero, for the rights recognized, for example, to lesbians, as "the filiation of her children to the two mothers."

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

The proximity of 23J has also been noted in the speeches of politicians who have attended Pride. The Second Vice President of the Government and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, has responded to the statements by the president of Vox, Santiago Abascal, in which he assures that he does not celebrate Pride because he is heterosexual, assuring that she "is also heterosexual" and that he celebrates this party to have "a country with more freedoms".

The third vice president, Teresa Ribera, for her part, has asked not to take "not a step back" in the conquest of rights after "the pacts of shame" that PP and Vox have signed in town halls and autonomous communities.

Meanwhile, the PP, which has participated without a banner, has assured that it does not agree with parties that do not guarantee the rights of all citizens. The vice-secretary for Social Policy and Demographic Challenge of the formation, Carmen Fúnez, has assured that this is one of the "limitations" of the PP to reach agreements.

DÍAZ AND MONTERO HAVE NOT MATCHED

In this demonstration, the possible meeting between Yolanda Díaz and Irene Montero was also expected after the controversy generated by the veto of the leader of Sumar to the Minister of Equality. The organization had invited both to participate in the headline banner, but Montero finally decided to go in her party's float, together with the general secretary of the formation and Minister of Social Rights, Ione Belarra.

The main banner has started from the Carlos V roundabout and has traveled the Paseo del Prado to the Plaza de Colón to the rhythm of 'Who cares' from Alaska and Dinarama; 'Everyone is looking at me' by Gloria Trevi, 'Tell me', by Beth or 'Untie me' by Mónica Naranjo.

Together with the representatives of the organizing organizations, personalities such as the vice presidents Yolanda Díaz and Teresa Ribera, the activist and deputy in the Madrid Assembly for Más Madrid, Carla Antonelli, or the head of LGTBI policies of the PSOE, Víctor Gutiérrez, have been the responsible for leading the demonstration.

According to the organization, almost a hundred social entities that fight for the rights of the collective have been represented in it and a total of 46 floats have participated in the so-called rolling demonstration.