by Rex Wockner
International News
Several hundred people marched in the third gay pride parade in Sofia, Bulgaria, on June 26, under protection of hundreds of police officers.
Anti-gay protesters rallied earlier in the day and did not disrupt this year's march. A concert was staged at the parade's endpoint.
In 2008, some 60 counterdemonstrators were arrested for attacking the inaugural parade with bottles, rocks, eggs, firecrackers, smoke bombs and Molotov cocktails.
In Finland, about 5,000 people marched through Helsinki on July 3. Three bystanders were taken into police custody after some marchers were hit with pepper spray.