
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.
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