Moscow Gay Activists Arrested

MOSCOW, RUSSIA -- Moscow's first ever Gay Pride celebration, timed to fall on the 13th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Russia, was broken up by police after skinheads and militant Orthodox Christians attacked gay and lesbian marchers, The Associated Press reports.

According to witnesses, some of them foreigners, police made no effort to prevent members of ultra-nationalist groups from attacking a handful of gay rights activists who had arrived at the Alexander Garden just outside the Kremlin wall to place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

28-year-old Nikolai Alexeyev, leader of the gay and lesbian activists, was dragged from the gates of the monument, and detained by police.

"We are conducting a peaceful protest. We want to show that we have the same rights as other citizens," Alexeyev said at a news conference a few hours prior to the parade.

Gay German Green MP, Volker Beck, who was there to support local activists, was hit in the face with a brick, with the cameras rolling, leaving terrified witnesses in shock. "I was attacked," Beck told German television. "It shows we are not safe in this country. The security forces did not protect us but instead prevented us from retreating. We were left without any protection."

Even though homosexuality has been legal in Russia since 1993, homophobia is widespread and often fuelled by ultra-nationalism and by the Russian Orthodox Church. Hate crimes are also on a rise, especially in Moscow.