Thousands of anti-gay hooligans tried without success to stop the first LGBT pride parade in nine years in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 10.
However, the rioting anti-gays laid waste to parts of the capital city and injured more than 130 police officers by throwing fire bombs, bricks, rocks and bottles.
They also burned cars, hijacked a bus, broke windows, looted, set alight the ruling Democratic Party's headquarters, and attacked and damaged other political parties' offices, the state television building and embassies.
They chanted, "Death to homosexuals."
Officials estimated the property damage at millions of dollars.
More than 5,000 police officers kept the marauding protesters from making contact with the 1,000 LGBT marchers. More than 200 of the rioters were arrested over several hours.
"Inside the ( secure ) zone ( of the parade ) it was peaceful, with most of the pride participants unaware of the battles going on," Andy Harley of UK Gay News said from the scene.
Serbian President Boris Tadic said: "The hooligans and the organizers of today's violence will be arrested and brought to justice. ... No one threatening public order, attacking police and destroying public property will go unpunished."
The European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association said: "ILGA-Europe wants to express its gratitude to Serbian police for impeccable conduct of their duty. We express our deepest sympathy to those police representatives and their family members who suffered injuries."
The group also said it is "concerned that despite heavy police protection, the March for Equality was shortened and participants of the march were completely isolated from the general public."
"We believe the next challenge for the Serbian authorities and the police will be to ensure the proportionality of security measures with the true spirit of free assembly -- delivering a message which on this occasion was compromised," ILGA said.
Last year's planned pride march was canceled under pressure from police and the government, who said they couldn't protect the marchers from thousands of anti-gays who planned to attack the event.
Opponents last year had covered walls in the city center with graffiti that said, "We will get you," "Death to faggots" and "Blood will flow."
The first Belgrade pride parade, in 2001, ended with dozens of marchers injured by marauding nationalists, skinheads and soccer fans.