Ensuring the Queer Culture Festival is Held

Notice of where to wait for submissions of rally declarations 

This year, anti-gay groups are working furiously to thwart the efforts of queer activists and have already been successful in postponing the festival. The KQCF is aiming to change dates to the 28th of June, but hate groups have been rallying to block the KQCF's application. A post by the organizing committee of KQCF was translated on Facebook and reproduced below:

"On May 21st, the Namdaemun Police Station's Public Information Division posted a sudden notice on their homepage. It said that if anyone wants to submit a rally declaration form for June 28th, they should stand in line in front of the police station and the police station would accept those forms on May 29th in the order that they were standing in line. (Please refer to the attached photo.)
"Someone has already read this and started standing in line in front of the police station; the Love Your Country, Love Your Children Movement Headquarters (나라사랑자녀사랑운동본부) led by pastor Song Chun-gil. This is obviously to interfere with a certain event that was planned to be held on June 28th. A dozen or so people are taking turns standing in line so they don't get tired.
"In Hyehwa as well, hate groups camped in tents in front of the police station to stand in line all day and all night ever since the beginning of May to interfere with the Queer Pride Parade that was to be held on June 13th. In the end they succeeded in submitting rally declaration forms for every space in Daehakro from June 12th to 14th, and prevented us from being able to hold the Queer Pride Parade in the area.
"The same thing is happening again. So the organizing committee of the Queer Culture Festival have started standing in line as well. The only thing we can do is to submit as many rally declaration forms as possible to counter theirs. Although it's obvious that they're only doing this to stop another event from happening, the police say that this counts as freedom of speech and they can only accept groups on a first-come-first-served basis. Currently a few people from the organizing committee are staying up all night standing in line in front of the police station, next to the hate groups. They are holding out by sitting on the ground and on chairs.
"We have to stand in line like this without leaving for even one second for the next 9 days, until the 29th. It is too difficult to do this just with the people in the organizing committee. This is why we are writing this post. Is there anyone who can spare even a few hours to help us? If anyone can help take turns standing in line with us during any time at all from the 22nd until the 29th... We sincerely hope that you please message me."

If you want to get involved, head over to the LGBT and Allies in Korea Facebook page, which includes the above post and Facebook contact information. Let's make sure KQCF can take place this year!