For a second evening in a row, members of the public flocked to Sofia's Nezavisimost Square in front of Parliament's building on Thursday to protest against amendments to the Pre-school and School Education Act.
The revisions, passed on both first and second reading on Wednesday, banned any "propaganda, popularization or instigation in any way whatsoever, whether directly or indirectly, in the educational system of any ideas and views related to non-traditional sexual orientation and/or gender identification otherwise than according to the biological sex".
The protesters chanted "Veto the Law", "Shame On You" and "We Won't Shut Up, We Won't Put Up". The people gathered in the square argued that solidarity among people is the weapon against hatred. Police presence in the area has been beefed up.
The protest is organized by feminist and LGBTI+ organizations, including LevFem, Feminist Mobilizations, Feminist Library, LGBT Deystvie and Bulgarian Fund for Women. They insist on a repeal of the legal provisions and adequate measures against pupils' harassment because of their real or attributed sexual orientation and gender identity.
Earlier on Thursday, the National Network for Children (NNC) stated that after the adoption of the controversial bill they were withdrawing their confidence from the MPs who are part of the NNC's informal network Parliamentary Group for Children and who have committed to protect the rights of all Bulgarian children.
The Green Movement party took strong exception to the revisions of the law and voiced their indignation.
The Association of European Journalists - Bulgaria issued a position pointing out that the amendments bear amazing resemblance to measures taken by the authoritarian regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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