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Moscow, 27 May 2009: "Gays" in Moscow got a
taste of government authority when they turned pink
after being beaten up Russian police for defying a ban
on gay rallies. The "Slavic Pride" rally was to coincide
with the Eurovision Song contest in Moscow.
More than 70 people have been arrested in Moscow after
activists tried to hold the city's first gay rights
rally, despit e a ban on the event. The rally's organiser,
Nikolay Alexeyev, was among those arrested.
British gay rights advocate Peter Tatchell, waved flags
and chanted slogans, including: "Homophobia is a
disgrace of this country!" and "We are demanding equal
rights!" He too was arrested. Twenty of the arrested
were from religious and nationalists groups who came
there to protest against the gay march. Nationalists and
extreme Russian Orthodox believers threw kicks, punches
and eggs at the gay rights group, chanting "Moscow is
not Sodom.”
On Friday, a court upheld a ban on the march imposed by
the city authorities who argued it could trigger
violence. About 1,000 riot police were deployed close to
Red Square in the heart of the city to stop the rally
from taking place and prevent clashes with its
opponents. They moved in when a group of activists tried
to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in a
symbolic protest to equate the struggle for gay rights
with the struggle against fascism in World War II.
Meanwhile demonstrators representing nationalist and
Orthodox Christian groups chanted anti-gay slogans and
shouted abuse.
Eyewitnesses said several foreign gay rights activists
were beaten by protesters.
“What happened today unfortunately is representative of
the nonrespect for human rights in Russia. You can't
express your point of view, and you are not protected
from extremists," said French activist Sebastien Maria.
Nationalist groups expressed anger at the nature of the
action at the tomb. "We are Russians. We are Orthodox.
These soldiers died so we could live like Russians, not
so these people could come here and tell us what to do,"
Andrey, 25, told Reuters news agency.
Both groups moved up one of the main city streets to a
square outside the Moscow city government offices, where
more arrests followed.
Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said he had banned the march
because he believed homosexuality was not natural and
because the event would cause outrage in society a
position supported by many Christian and Muslim groups.
He said that as long as he was mayor he would not allow
such events to take place.
A few days ago, a lesbian couple who applied for a
marriage licence in Russia have had their application
rejected. Gay marriage is illegal in Russia and the
couple had expected their application to be refused.
In May 2006, more than 120 people were arrested after
campaigners attempted to hold the capital's first gay
rights rally.
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