Queer party Homobloc partners with LGBT+ human rights group All Out amid discrimination in Poland

Queer party Homobloc has teamed up with LGBT+ human rights group All Out amid homophobic violence and discrimination in Poland.

The partnership comes after 30 towns and villages in Poland declared 'LGBT-free zones' and the leader of the ruling party (PiS) said the LGBT+ community was "a threat to Poland, our nation and its existence". There has also been anti-LGBT+ campaigns in the national media, while the Archbishop of Krakow described the LGBT+ community as a "rainbow plague".

In September, marchers on the first Equality March/Gay Pride in Bialystok were attacked by local football hooligans.

Gideön, co-founder of Block9, said: "There are some horrific things happening right now in Europe and the LGBTQ+ community needs to mobilise now to stop them. Some of us here in the places like the UK have achieved an adequate level of acceptance within heteronormative society.

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"But our LGBTQ+ family in Poland and other countries just a few hundred miles away are being murdered, tortured and brutalised as we speak. It is our responsibility to stick up for our own. We cannot forget our LGBTQ+ comrades now that we here have inherited some semblance of equality. Our presence at Homobloc enables the opportunity to help us do something about it."

Midland added: "We are seeing an alarming regression in public attitudes towards LGBTQI people in Europe, most notably in Poland and Chechnya. Our very existence is still a crime in 72 Countries. Our message is clear. We stand with our persecuted siblings around the world, and we will not stop until every human has the right to love freely."

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All Out Executive Director Matt Beard said: "The tactics of the homophobic right in Poland are straight out of the Nazi playbook and the results are terrifying. In the past few months, LGBT+ people have been attacked with firecrackers, rocks, rotten eggs and bottles filled with urine. Pride flags have been burned.

"People have been taking their young children to anti-pride rallies to teach them how to hate their fellow citizens. This is an emergency. We know what happens when minority groups are scapegoated like this. We must never let fascism win again!"

Homobloc, presented by Homoelectric, takes over The Warehouse Project in Manchester on November 9, where ravers will be able to donate to the partnership with All Out. The Black Madonna, Honey Dijon, Palms Trax, Jayda G, Larry Heard, Midland, Seth Troxler and more play.

Money raised will go towards emergency advocacy campaigns for LGBT+ rights in Poland and across Europe, finance shelters and counselling hotlines, supply activists with digital tools for their work and spread LGBT+ initiatives and campaigns through worldwide media.

Dave Turner is Mixmag's Commercial Content Editor, follow him on Twitter