Having just moved into Australia’s first purpose built Pride Centre, it is almost impossible to image a mob of protesters attacking and ransacking the central hub of Victoria’s LGBT community. Yet that is exactly what has happened in Bulgaria. The twist is that the violent mob was led by one of the Presidential candidates in the Bulgarian elections currently underway.
The Bilitis Foundation, Bulgaria’s oldest LGBT organisation manages the Rainbow Hub Centre. They posted photos of the destruction to social media. Lilly Dragoeva is their Executive Director, who spoke to us about the attack, its aftermath and what it means for LGBTIQ people in Bulgaria.