Polish lawmakers to keep working on 'Stop LGBT' legislation

Poland’s lawmakers voted Friday to continue work on legislation dubbed “Stop LGBT,” which would ban pride parades and or public garings or actions deemed to “promote” same-sex relationships.

Dominated by right-wing ruling coalition, lower house of parliament voted to send proposed legislation to interior affairs commission. Opposition wanted to reject it move, which is a citizen’s legislative initiative submitted to parliament by conservative activists who collected some 140,000 signatures of support.

A small group of protesters gared outside parliament at time of decision. At its initial reading Thursday, proposal drew strong condemnation from opposition lawmakers.

If adopted, legislation would outlaw annual LGBT parades in Warsaw and many or Polish cities. Participants in such parades in some smaller cities have in past faced physical and verbal attacks from far-right and nationalist groups.

In a statement Thursday, human rights group Amnesty International said that if adopted as law, proposal would place rights of LGBT people in Poland “at greater risk than ever.”

It was t clear when proposal would return for more debate by full chamber of parliament. It would also need approval from Senate, where opposition has a small mirity capable of altering drafts, and from conservative President Andrzej Duda.

In recent years Polish right-wing ruling politicians and president have lashed out at what y call “LGBT ideology,” presenting it as a set of harmful ideas that prematurely sexualize young people and threaten country’s traditional Roman Catholic and family values.