Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov takes shit from no one – not even the Council of Europe.

A Russian newspaper has published a series of letters in which numerous European officials, including secretary general of the council, Terry Davis, asked Luzhkov to compromise with gay pride organizers. In a missive dated January 31, Davis writes:

I am not keen to argue about such a sensitive issue in the media, and I would prefer to be in position to say that the Russian authorities have found a reasonable compromise, which respects the rights and human dignity of all individuals concerned.

A homophobe through and through, Luzhkov ignored Davis and others' pleas. Instead, he asked Russia's Department of Internal Affairs to cock block queer paraders.

Moscow officials, of course, won this battle, banning gay pride and have now found themselves marred in a legal battle. If only Luzhkov had taken Davis' advice.