War and Petersburg

Russian Police Senselessly Arrest Even More Gay Activists

Gay rights rallies in St. Petersburg were repeatedly broken up by Russian police over the weekend. According to SFGate, three organizers of an LGBT rally were arrested in a park on Saturday, July 7. Later the same day, five more activists were held by authorities at another rally near the Smolny complex.

Rallies speaking out for gay rights are illegal in St. Petersburg, thanks to the ridiculous law forbidding the spreading of “homosexual propaganda to minors.” The city’s lawmakers must be sipping too much Smirnoff, since, despite the law, they at first approved one of the rallies, before quickly canceling it. The rallies barely gathered crowds large enough for any public disruption: only the three arrested attended the first one; six attended the second.

Russia has been steadily tightening its anti-gay political shackles: Moscow recently banned gay Pride for 100 years, right after arresting gay rights protesters in May.

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