KYIV (Reuters) – Thousands of people including soldiers and diplomats marched peacefully through the Ukrainian capital on Sunday in an annual gay pride parade despite some opposition to an event called off last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Equality March saw a record 7,000 people attend this year’s event, as opposed to the 8,000 who attended in 2019. This was despite the opposition of religious and nationalist groups.

According to the survey conducted by “Rating”, 47% of those surveyed had negative views of the LGBTQ+ community.

While the marchers were accompanied by police, a few hundred pro-gay protesters assembled nearby. There was no violence.

“So fantastic to be out on the streets alongside my cool

@UKinUkraine colleagues and friends supporting LGBTQ groups in Ukraine,” British Ambassador Melinda Simmons wrote on Twitter (NYSE:).

In a photo, she posted of her smiling face surrounded by young people wearing rainbow masks and waving rainbow flags.

Olexandra said that students want to safeguard the rights and dignity of LGBT people because, first and foremost, they are all human beings.

Anastasia, who was dressed in military uniform and a former soldier of the conflict with Russian-backed separatists said that the army has issues with equality rights.

She stated that the service regulations don’t allow one to show their (true face) because of confidentiality. We are here for the second time to declare openly that LGBT people exist in both the army and the other non-LGBT organizations.

Since Western-backed politicians came to power, 2014 has seen an increase in support for LGBTQ+ rights. In 2015, Parliament passed legislation to prohibit discrimination at work. However it doesn’t allow for the same-sex marriage and adoption of children.

Leni Emson (director of KyivPride), a non-governmental organization said that “this is already the 10th Pride, it was succesful, it went peacefully.”

Lyudmyla, Ukraine’s Ombudswoman wrote that everyone is “equal” in rights starting at birth.

“I appeal to citizens to show tolerance and avoid discrimination.”