Some 6,000 anti-gay protesters clashed with police in Belgrade on Oct. 10. A total of 141 people were injured, while 207 were taken in for questioning, the Serbian Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The statement said that 124 police officers and 17 demonstrators suffered either severe or slight injuries during the event, including one Swiss citizen, who walked outside of the secured route, contary to police guidelines. Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic said that three people - two civilians and one police officer were hospitalized.

Police arrested a total of 207 people, of whom 100 were detained for disorderly conduct and destroying property. Police Director Milorad Veljovic said that Obraz movement leader Mladen Obradovic was among those arrested early on Oct. 10.

Police also reported that 11 police vehicles and three fire trucks were damaged at different points in the city.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, who visited the injured police officers in the hospital declared that "police successfully accomplished their mission and prevented bloodshed." He added that the pride event was guarded by some 5,600 police officers.

Approximately 1,000 citizens and local and international officials attended the Belgrade Pride Parade on Oct. 10 under heavy police security.

Addressing the participants of the parade in a park in front of the Yugoslav Drama Theater, Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Ciplic said that Oct. 10 was an significant day for freedom in Serbia and stressed that every citizen had the right to self-expression.

EU delegation to Serbia chief Vincent Degert said that he had been waiting for this day for nine years. He described the event as extremely important and stressed that Serbia had good legislation regulating human rights, religious and sexual freedoms.

"It is important that people can live with such rights and values. The Pride Parade is also important as proof that society rejects violence," Degert said.

The participants of the parade were also addressed by OSCE Mission to Serbia Head Dimitrios Kypreos, Council of Europe Permanent Representative to Serbia chief Konstantinos Gerokostopoulos and European Parliament MP Mariah Cornelise.

U.S. Ambassador Mary Warlick, former human and minority rights ministry secretary Marko Karadzic and a number of other public figures and politicians - Cedomir Jovanovic and actress Mirjana Karanovic.

The paraders walked by government buildings through downtown Belgrade and later met for a party in the Student Cultural Center from where they were provided safe police transportation to other locations.