Russia: Gay Parade in Moscow planned for May

Ria Novosti ^ | 01/24/08

[TigerLikesRooster]

Gay Parade in Moscow planned for May

21:38 | 24/ 01/ 2008

MOSCOW, January 24 (RIA Novosti) - Gays rights activists plan to hold a march in central Moscow in May, their third attempt after previous parades were banned by the Moscow mayor, the event organizer said.

"We expect this to be a political and public event, without outrage, but with specific demands," Nikolai Alexeyev said, speaking on the Ekho Moskvy radio station.

Moscow authorities rejected official requests by Gay Parade organizers in 2006 and 2007 for permission to march, on the grounds that it would interfere with the rights and routines of ordinary Muscovites.

Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has branded gay pride parades "Satanic" and vowed that they would never be permitted in the capital, while the Russian Orthodox Church and various far-right groups have sworn to halt any attempt to hold a march in support of gay rights in Russia.

Alexeyev said: "If the march will be again illegally banned, we will apply to Russian and European courts."

Last year, Moscow's Tverskoi District Court ruled that a city ban on holding a Gay Pride Parade was legal. Around 100 protestors subsequently gathered outside City Hall to submit a petition to the mayor against what they called an 'unfounded and illegal prohibition on holding the march in support of sexual minorities in Russia.'

The protest turned violent when a British gay rights activist was kicked and beaten by extremists, and police detained 31 people, including two Italian members of the European parliament, in the ensuing melee.

Homosexuality was legalized in Russia in 2003, but discrimination against gays and lesbians remains widespread. The hostile crowd during the 2007 May demonstration included people carrying crosses and wearing Orthodox Church dress, along with ultranationalists.

Russia is a member of the Council of Europe, and a signatory to the European Convention of Human Rights, which obliges the state to allow demonstrations to be held.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Last time gay parade was attempted in Moscow(05/28/07,) this is what happened:

The gays were confronted by:

Nazis

Babushkas

Commies

Red Army Veterans

Results

Vicious Babushkas go after a British gay activist

Veteran British gay rights activist Peter Tatchell (L) is attacked by extremist Russian Orthodox believers during a gay rights protest in Moscow May 27, 2007. Russian police detained gay protesters calling for the right to hold a Gay Pride parade in central Moscow on Sunday while nationalists shouting "death to homosexuals" punched and kicked the demonstrators. REUTERS/Hans Knopf (RUSSIA)

British gay rights activist Peter Tatchell speaks during an interview with a Reuters correspondent in Moscow May 28, 2007. Tatchell, who was among demonstrators calling for the right to hold a Gay Pride parade in central Moscow on Sunday, was knocked to the ground and kicked twice. When he got up he was punched in the face again and taken away by two riot policemen. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin (RUSSIA)

Nazis attack gays

Gay rights activists are attacked by nationalist demonstrators in Moscow May 27, 2007. Russian police detained gay protesters calling for the right to hold a Gay Pride parade in central Moscow on Sunday while nationalists shouting "death to homosexuals" punched and kicked the demonstrators. REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin (RUSSIA)

[fireforeffect]

Well, either the Russians will react in the same way, if Putin wants them too, or it will snow and be forty bellow.

[DungeonMaster]

I think a bunch of really silly fellas have mistaken Russia for being politically correct.

[DoingTheFrenchMistake]

I just don’t think the Russians or anyone else for that matter has the sexual hang-ups or fascination we have here in the United States regarding sex.

[puroresu]

If European human rights laws guarantee the right to demonstrate, then how did Brussels' mayor ban that anti-Islamization march a couple of months ago? Oh, wait, I forgot. Those human rights policies only protect leftist marches and rallies.

[MrEdd]

Then you haven’t traveled.

[bahblahbah]

I just don’t think the Russians or anyone else for that matter has the sexual hang-ups or fascination we have here in the United States regarding sex.

Except for all the child pornography that's produced there, though consumed greatly by those in the US. Also they treat abortion like birth control and have more abortions than births.

[klpt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yeEBo4wod0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVrSxVziPQs

[dfwgator]

Nazis attack gays

What would Ernst Roehm have thought about that?

[Centurion2000]

I think a bunch of really silly fellas have mistaken Russia for being politically correct.

There are a lot of ways Russia's pretty F'd up. But regarding the national hatred of political correctness, they're perfect on that score.

[DungeonMaster]

There are a lot of ways Russia's pretty F'd up. But regarding the national hatred of political correctness, they're perfect on that score.

Yes and that reminds me of another thing I admire about their political system. 10ish years ago they had a heatwave in Moscow, it was some 85 degrees which I guess is really hot to Ruskies. So said Ruskies were doing a lot of swimming in the rivers in Moscow. They did that while drinking lots of beer along with their vodka. I guess they were extra thirsty so they drank the beer as if it were water and the vodka for a buzz. 200 people drown in the rivers due to that combination of heat and drinking.

Now in any city in America if you were swimming in the river you'd be arrested for swimming in an undesignated place. The mayor of moscow's statement was "I'm not going to post a police officer at every puddle in town!". Wow!!! In that and many ways, they have much more liberty than we do.

[Alouette]

Vicious Babushkas go after a British gay activist

Ha ha ha! That's where I got my tagline.

[Centurion2000]

Now in any city in America if you were swimming in the river you'd be arrested for swimming in an undesignated place. The mayor of moscow's statement was "I'm not going to post a police officer at every puddle in town!". Wow!!! In that and many ways, they have much more liberty than we do.

Actually the last time I was there I cam to this conclusion.

As long as you are not trying to overthrow the government and pay your (small) taxes ... Russian government leaves you alone.

And before anyone else pops in about love it or leave it ... yes I am considering retiring there.

[AFreeBird]

Hmm gays, may day, parade...

Coincidence?