Thousands of people gathered Saturday in central Belgrade to protest against plans for the first-ever gay pride parade set to take place on Sunday, reported dpa.
Carrying Serbian and church flags and "Defend family" placards, opponents of the gay parade marched through the city in a so-called "family walk" and demanded the government to cancel the "shameful" parade.
No incidents were reported in the march which police estimated was attended by 7,000 to 10,000 people. Some eyewitnesses said the crowd was considerably larger than the police estimate.
In patriarchal Serbia, homosexuality is largely considered an illness, while the Serbian Orthodox Church spoke out against the gay pride parade but warned against violence targeting participants.
Upwards of 1,000 people, including politicians and foreign officials, are expected to participate in the five-hour pride parade on Sunday. Some 5,000 policemen will guard the participants.
If held, it would be the first gay pride parade held in Belgrade.
The only previous gay demonstration was disrupted by violence in 2001 when large numbers of ultra-right groups, thugs and football fans attacked and injured 40 participants and six policemen.
Last year, the gay pride parade was cancelled a day before the event amid extremist threats, drawing sharp critics from the West.