Daegu's queer festival perseveres despite conservative opposition's intimidation tactics
Participants of the 15th Daegu Queer Culture Festival carry banners and flags while marching on the street in Daegu, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Cho Hye-yoon
Conservative mayor-led city government attempts to prevent march, clashes with police
By Lee Hae-rin
DAEGU ― Korea's southern conservative stronghold of Daegu saw an unwavering will to celebrate the identity and integrity of sexual minorities, Saturday, despite strong opposition from the city mayor and conservative Christian protesters.
The 15th Daegu Queer Culture Festival (DQCF), held in the city's central area of Banwol Intersection on Dongseong-ro, was the first of eight local Pride festivals to be held across the country under the theme of “We, Already.”
This year's festival began with an unusual face-off between the local government and the police.
Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, a longtime member of the main conservative People Power Party (PPP), argued that the festival promoted an "inappropriate sexual culture" among younger generations, thereby compromising the rights of the “sexual majority.”
His comments came after a group of Daegu's Christian churches and merchants filed an injunction application to block the DQCF, which was dismissed by the Daegu District Court.
On Saturday morning, Hong deployed around 450 public servants to stop festival organizers from setting up facilities and taking to the street to march earlier in the morning, claiming it is “illegal” and somehow disrupts citizens' “right to movement.”
However, his attempt was stopped by around 1,500 police officers, as Daegu Police Agency said that they would protect the event organizers' and participants' constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression.
“This parade and festival today is not illegal. We (organizers) followed due procedures to file a notice of assembly in advance and this stage and these booths that you're enjoying are registered items of the assembly that should be rightfully protected by the police,” said Bae Jin-kyo, the chairperson of the DQCF organizing committee.
“Let's not lose to the hate groups. Let's dance with pride, resist discrimination while also having fun, and march through the city center of hyper-conservative Daegu,” Bae said, which was responded to with cheers and applause from the hundreds in the audience.
The celebration was joined by people from all walks of life, including LGBTQ communities and allies in support of LGBTQ rights from all across the country, with Korean and foreign nationals alike in attendance.
“I just wanted to come out and show my support,” said Carrie Green, 31, a Daegu-based English teacher from the U.S. told The Korea Times during the event. “We should be able to celebrate who we are and who we love without having to be scared,” she said, adding that the annual pride festival in her conservative hometown Texas also has grown to settle as a popular celebration despite opposition and she hopes the same for Daegu Pride.
Daegu, the fourth-most populated city in Korea with around 2.4 million people, has been a conservative political stronghold and is well known for its patriarchal culture along with neighboring Gyeongsang Province
Since the festival started in 2009, the region saw opposition, being particularly fiercer in nature than others. Christian groups always held rallies next to the festival, while some anti-protesters made hate speeches and committed physical violence against participants, while also damaging their property. On many occasions, the local police were criticized for acting like bystanders during clashes.
In response, the DQCF organizers filed a petition to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea in May 2019 against the local police. NHRCK recommended that the chief of the Daegu Police Agency protect the group's freedom to assemble. Bae gave a presentation on the significance of the Pride festival and LGBTQ rights to local police officers, and since then the organizers and police have cooperated to ensure the safety of the event.
Police officers stop Christian protesters holding homophobic placards during the 15th Daegu Queer Culture Festival, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Cho Hye-yoon
On Saturday, the annual event saw its regular opponents, the Christian groups attending from the beginning until the end ― midday to 6 p.m.
Every protester's attempt to enter the event venue was stopped by the police in the area. “Homosexuality is a sin and you are being politically manipulated,” screamed a man dressed as Jesus carrying a red cross, which was greeted with cheers from the festival's participants dressed in rainbow colors.
The event featured booths operated by local LGBTQ and human rights advocacy groups, artists, minor liberal political parties and diplomatic missions in Korea, including the embassies of Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Switzerland.
No casualties were reported during and after the parade, as hundreds marched through the city center.
Participants of the 15th Daegu Queer Culture Festival look around booths operated by local human rights groups, artists and embassies in Daegu, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Cho Hye-yoon
The Korea Times intern reporter Cho Hye-yoon contributed to this article.