Belarusian police today violently dispersed a gay pride parade which had been banned by authorities.

Riot police broke up the demonstration and arrested several dozen participants, beating some of them and throwing them to the ground.

The demo's organisers said that their goal was to attract public attention to the violation of sexual minorities' rights in Belarus.

The leader of the Belarusian gay movement, Sergei Androsenko, said the government attitude toward gays amounts to the state sanctioning homophobia.

Police refused to comment on the detentions.

Previous gay pride parades in Belarus also have been banned by authorities and broken up by police.

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