Thousands march for gay rights in Poland, Croatia

Thousands of Warsaw residents with rainbow flags walk in a colorful annual Equality Parade to show their support for sexual minority groups in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, June 11, 2016. The 16th parade Saturday is held at a time when views concerning minorities are getting radicalized under a right-wing government that took office in November. A visible police presence accompanied the march.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) (The Associated Press)

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Warsaw resident with rainbow flags walk in a colorful annual Equality Parade to show their support for sexual minority groups in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, June 11, 2016. The 16th parade Saturday is held at a time when views concerning minorities are getting radicalized under a right-wing government that took office in November. A visible police presence accompanied the march.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) (The Associated Press)

Several thousand people have marched in colorful gay pride events in Poland and Croatia urging support for minority rights amid mounting right-wing sentiments in the two staunchly Catholic nations.

Balloons and flags in rainbow colors marked both the Equality March in the Polish capital of Warsaw and Zagreb's Gay Pride event.

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.

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