Fabio Frustaci, The Associated PressPeople march past the Colosseum during the Gay Pride parade in Rome, Saturday, June 11, 2016. Italy joined the rest of Europe last month in giving some legal rights to gay couples after a years-long battle and opposition from the Catholic Church to anything that smacked of authorizing gay marriage. (AP Photo/Fabio Frustaci)
Giuseppe Lami, ANSA via APParticipants in a Gay Pride march parade in downtown Rome, Saturday, June 11, 2016. Italy joined the rest of Europe last month in giving some legal rights to gay couples after a years-long battle and opposition from the Catholic Church to anything that smacked of authorizing gay marriage. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA via AP)
Fabio Frustaci, The Associated PressPeople march past the Colosseum during the Gay Pride parade in Rome, Saturday, June 11, 2016. Italy joined the rest of Europe last month in giving some legal rights to gay couples after a years-long battle and opposition from the Catholic Church to anything that smacked of authorizing gay marriage. (AP Photo/Fabio Frustaci)
Strstr. AFP via Getty ImagesParticipants wave flags and hold placards as they take part in the 15th Gay Pride Parade in downtown Zagreb, Croatia, on June 11, 2016, as some 4000 lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and their supporters marched for their rights under heavy police guard through the city centre. / AFP PHOTO / STRSTR/AFP/Getty Images
Yorgos Karahalis, The Associated PressProtesters hold a banner during the annual Gay Pride rally in Athens, on Saturday, June 11, 2016. Thousands of people took to the streets to participate in the annual march through the streets of the Greek capital. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Yorgos Karahalis, The Associated PressA protester holds a banner during the annual Gay Pride rally in Athens, on Saturday, June 11, 2016. Thousands of people took to the streets to participate in the annual march through the streets of the Greek capital. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Yorgos Karahalis, The Associated PressProtesters hug during the annual Gay Pride rally in Athens, on Saturday, June 11, 2016. Thousands of people took to the streets to participate in the annual march through the streets of the Greek capital. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
SFP, GettyCostumed participants react as they take part in the 15th Gay Pride Parade in downtown Zagreb, Croatia, on June 11, 2016, as some 4000 lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and their supporters marched for their rights under heavy police guard through the city centre. / AFP PHOTO / STRSTR/AFP/Getty Images
AFP, GettyParticipants wave flags and hold placards as they take part in the 15th Gay Pride Parade in downtown Zagreb, Croatia, on June 11, 2016, as some 4000 lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and their supporters marched for their rights under heavy police guard through the city centre. / AFP PHOTO / STRSTR/AFP/Getty Images
Fredrick Florin, AFP, GettyA costumed participant takes part in the 15th local edition of the Gay Pride, homosexual, bisexual and transgender visibility march on June 11, 2016, in the French eastern city of Strasbourg. Drag queens, civil rights activists and scantily clad gay and straight couples made their way through the city to the thumping of dance music. / AFP PHOTO / FREDERICK FLORINFREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images
Angelos Tzortzinis, AFP, GettyA woman holds a poster that reads "Proud to be gay" during the city's 5th Gay Pride in Athens, on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELOS TZORTZINISANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images
Andreas Solaro, AFP, GettyPeople take part in the annual Gay Pride Parade (LGBT), in downtown Rome on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLAROANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images
Fabio Frustaci, APPeople march past the Colosseum during the Gay Pride parade in Rome, Saturday, June 11, 2016. Italy joined the rest of Europe last month in giving some legal rights to gay couples after a years-long battle and opposition from the Catholic Church to anything that smacked of authorizing gay marriage. (AP Photo/Fabio Frustaci)
Fredrick Florin, AFP, GettyCostumed participants take part in the 15th local edition of the Gay Pride, homosexual, bisexual and transgender visibility march on June 11, 2016, in the French eastern city of Strasbourg. Drag queens, civil rights activists and scantily clad gay and straight couples made their way through the city to the thumping of dance music. / AFP PHOTO / FREDERICK FLORINFREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images
Jacek Turczyk, AFP, GettyParticipants attend the annual Gay Pride Parade in Warsaw, on June 11, 2016. The event was held to protest against the discrimination of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people, under the slogan 'Equal Rights - A Common Cause'. / AFP PHOTO / PAP / Jacek Turczyk / Poland OUTJACEK TURCZYK/AFP/Getty Images
Fredrick Florin, AFP, GettyTwo people hug as they take part in the 15th local edition of the homosexual, bisexual and transgender visibility march, Gay Pride, in the French eastern city of Strasbourg on June 11, 2016. Drag queens, civil rights activists and scantily clad gay and straight couples made their way through the city to the thumping of dance music. / AFP PHOTO / FREDERICK FLORINFREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images
AFP, GettyA costumed participant gestures as he takes part in the 15th Gay Pride Parade in downtown Zagreb, Croatia, on June 11, 2016, as some 4000 lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and their supporters marched for their rights under heavy police guard through the city centre. / AFP PHOTO / STRSTR/AFP/Getty Images
Fredrick Florin, AFP, GettyA costumed participant walks during the 15th local edition of the Gay Pride, homosexual, bisexual and transgender visibility march on June 11, 2016, in the French eastern city of Strasbourg. Drag queens, civil rights activists and scantily clad gay and straight couples made their way through the city to the thumping of dance music. / AFP PHOTO / FREDERICK FLORINFREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images
Andreas Solaro, AFP, GettyPeople take part in the annual Gay Pride Parade (LGBT), in downtown Rome on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLAROANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images
Andreas Solaro, AFP, GettyPeople take part in the annual Gay Pride Parade (LGBT) near the Colosseum, in downtown Rome on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLAROANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images
Fredrick Florin, AFP, GettyA costumed participant reacts during the 15th local edition of the homosexual, bisexual and transgender visibility march, Gay Pride, in the French eastern city of Strasbourg on June 11, 2016. Drag queens, civil rights activists and scantily clad gay and straight couples made their way through the city to the thumping of dance music. / AFP PHOTO / FREDERICK FLORINFREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images
Yorgos Karahalis, APA protester dances during the annual Gay Pride rally in Athens, on Saturday, June 11, 2016. Thousands of people took to the streets to participate in the annual march through the streets of the Greek capital. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
AFP, GettyParticipants attend the annual Gay Pride Parade in Warsaw, on June 11, 2016. The event was held to protest against the discrimination of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people, under the slogan 'Equal Rights - A Common Cause'. / AFP PHOTO / PAP / Poland OUT/AFP/Getty Images
Fabio Frustaci, The Associated Press
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People march past the Colosseum during the Gay Pride parade in Rome, Saturday, June 11, 2016. Italy joined the rest of Europe last month in giving some legal rights to gay couples after a years-long battle and opposition from the Catholic Church to anything that smacked of authorizing gay marriage. (AP Photo/Fabio Frustaci)
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WARSAW, Poland — Several thousand people marched Saturday in colorful gay pride events in Italy, Poland and Croatia urging support for minority rights in the mostly Catholic nations.
The parades in Poland and Croatia come amid mounting right-wing sentiments that pose new challenges to gay rights activists. In Italy, however, the gay pride celebration comes after lawmakers granted some legal rights to same-sex couples.
Balloons and flags in rainbow colors marked both the Equality March in the Polish capital of Warsaw and Zagreb’s Gay Pride event while participants at the parade in Rome were more daring, baring a bit of skin in some cases.
In Zagreb, former interior minister Ranko Ostojic and several well-known public figures joined the event dubbed “Croatia is Not Over Yet.” Ostojic says “I am glad to be here today, this is my Croatia.”
Liberals have warned that Croatia has been tilting to the right under a conservative government that took over in January. Similarly in Poland, there are concerns for minority rights under a right-wing government that took office in November.
Police secured both marches.
