Far right weaponising LGBTQ+ rights in Europe to sow division, campaigners say

At the start of Pride month, groups report rise in hate crimes as politicians use laws and speeches to target trans people in particular

Far-right politicians in Europe are weaponising LGBTQ+ rights and sowing divisions that are sending hate crimes soaring, campaigners have said as communities prepare to mark Pride month.

For years, countries in Europe were among those at the forefront of advancing rights, making steady progress on issues such as marriage equality, said Katrin Hugendubel of ILGA-Europe, an umbrella organisation that works with more than 700 groups across Europe and central Asia.