Montenegro's first successful gay pride march drew about 150 supporters of same-sex rights....and nearly 2, 000 police to protect them.

The half-hour march through the capital, Podgorica, was tense but incident free.

It was a different story at the end of the event.

Scuffles erupted between police and people opposed to same-sex rights.

Police used tear gas to disperse them.

Popular sentiment in Montenegro, like many of the other conservative patriarchal societies of the Balkans, remains largely anti-gay.

Montenegro is hoping to be next in line to join the European Union after neighbouring Croatia.

Before that can happen it has to show its readiness to protect human rights.