Tens of thousands joined gay pride marches across Europe on Saturday but homophobics spoiled the party in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria where scores were arrested for disrupting events.
Czech security forces were forced to intervene after right-wing extremists moved in on a parade in the country's second city Brno, leading to 15 arrests as tear gas was thrown, police said.
Several dozen black-clad extremists tried to break up a planned two-hour march through the city centre by gays and lesbians. The right-wingers threw eggs and fireworks into the midst of the marchers as they gathered in a central city square, local media reported.
Fifteen people were detained by police and two charged with breaching the peace, police spokeswoman Andrea Prochazkova old AFP.
Around 200 police in riot gear gathered at the start of the march to protect some 500 participants. Following the initial clash, organisers decided to press on with the parade but over a shorter route than initially planned.
The march came to an end when tear gas was thrown at the participants and some of the hundreds of onlookers.
At least 20 people were affected with two people needing medical treatment and one city policeman taken to hospital, police said, adding that it was not clear who threw the tear gas.
In Sofia, Bulgaria's first gay pride march was also marred by several attempts by extremists to disrupt it, resulting in scores of arrests.
According to the interior ministry, some 60 extremists were detained by police after trying to storm the small group of participant which was escorted by a similar number of police as it passed along a central Sofia boulevard.
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