It was to be expected. After Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov refused to grant a permit for a gay pride parade, organizers insisted they would go on without it. And they did just that, smack in the middle of the press spectacle that is the Eurovision Song contest. Among those arrested: Gay Liberation Network co-founder Andy Thayer and British activist Peter Tatchell, who was released a short time thereafter. AP:
Riot police broke up several gay rights demonstrations in Moscow on Saturday, hauling away scores of protesters hours before the capital hosted a major international pop music competition.
No injuries were reported, but the detentions could damage Russia’s desire to be seen as a modern nation as it holds the finals of the Eurovision song contest, a cultural event televised around the world.
[…] Moscow police spokesman Anatoly Listovetsky said 40 people were detained, but media reports said up to 80 had been seized. None of the protests in central Moscow took place near the capital’s Olimpiysky Sports Complex, where the Eurovision concert being held live Saturday night.
Police seized gay rights advocates as well as some religious and nationalist protesters who staged counter-demonstrations. They also took away gay rights activists for talking to reporters, and ripped the bra and shirt off one female protester.
Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has drawn international criticism by describing homosexuality as “satanic” and seeking to justify official discrimination against gay people in Russia by claiming they help spread the AIDS virus. Luzhkov has banned gay pride rallies in recent years, and attempted marches by gay activists have typically ended in detentions and attacks by nationalist groups.
As you can see from the video cameras and photographers documenting the scene, organizers’ decision to time pride with Eurovision is working out splendidly. This Google News chart shows the increasing media attention.
(Video: ITN News; Photo: Reuters)
Pete
Absolutely appalling. Outrageous. Those Russians have done this despite a massive crowd of photographers and cameramen and consular staff from European embassies in attendance. Russia is clearly being run still by a ruthless undemocratic regime.
We need to support the 1000s of gays and lesbians across Russia.
Prof. O. G. Whataschnozell
The video was real. I remember the fiasco last year. My heart goes out to them. In china gays are tolerated but there is no gay pride parade.
I must say that still photo looks “suspicious”. I will leave it at that.
Dabq
Wow, this is amazing and sadly not at all shocking since Russia is hardly gay friendly on any level, and it appears to be condoned by the government, and, it seems to have gotten worse from just last year.
jason
The greater travesty is the failure of European countries to boycottthe Eurovision song contest. You know, those supposedly open-minded and freedom-loving countries like Sweden, Spain, Britain and Norway. It seems that these countries have acted in a cowardly way, too afraid to boycott Russia in case they offend.
sal(the original)
sad….sad…sad
Chris
I hope the world looks on Moscow with immense shame for their simple minded bigoted views. While Europe is advancing gay rights daily, its a shame that this backyard country doesn’t catch up, but then again until the 90’s they were literally cut off from the rest of the world. What can you expect from the corrupt government that is run by unintelligent, uneducated people. I hope the their tourism goes down farther than it ever has been as maybe that would cause them to change since money is the only thing their government understands.
Raphael
@Prof. O. G. Whataschnozell: What photo are you talking about?
Ivan
Suspicious doesn’t even begin to cover it. I never thought the day would come when I agreed with a Russian position on social engineering. Congratulations Russians on standing up for your value system.
Sceth
Clinton better open her mouth…
Zakakaka
Russians are sooo hot!
jason
Russia gave the world the pseudo-lesbian pop music chicks TATU. Therefore, it’s OK for homosexuality to exist in Russia if it’s “two hot chicks” designed to pander to the sleazy straight guy fantasy. But heaven forbid if it’s two guys.
Russia, thy name is hypocrisy.
afrolito
Primitive uncivilized savages….
kevin (not that one)
Homophobes are often the biggest queers alive.
How many Russian homophobes get their jollies off every weekend at the local banya (Russian bath house)?
How many of those Orthodox Russian priests have their cold clammy claws down the pants of the altar boys?
Russia, indeed thy name is hypocrisy…and totalitarianism in the flesh.
Need supporters
Hey all, I have what I believe to be a great idea for an equal rights campaign to help get equal rights to gay couples while also satisfying the religious objectors “sanctity” of marriage. This idea isn’t specific to the gay couples wanting partnership rights, this idea also affects straight couples and how they acquire partnership rights.
I’m not gay and that’s why I’m having such a hard time establishing whether or not the gay community would be in favor of my campaign.
Please email me at [email protected] if you have time to discuss my campaign. I really think we could get something done on both sides of the board with this concept, I just need to establish whether the gay community agrees or sees my idea as acceptable etc etc.
Yes the email is real, it’s obviously named for its purpose and easy to remember, hopefully if I get enough supporters we can make something happen.
Thanks!
vernonvanderbilt
@Need supporters: Unless you want people to assume you’re just looking for e-mail addresses to sell to spammers, you should probably elaborate a little on this mysterious idea of yours.
Sigh
sigh wow just wow I feel like crying. Its a crying shame this behavior. Im getting tired of being queer. I’m going to hell anyway why not blow my brains out. Im sure the Christians and anti-gay liberals will celebrate the death of another fag. Of course their generally okay with lesbians, as long as they’re both hot. Appearantly, lesbians will be spared from eternal hellfire and damnation.
david
Russia didn’t decriminalize gay sex until 1993. Just 16 years ago! It’s still a socially and politically backward country still stuck in the past and that needs lots of improvement to even catch up with any country in western Europe.
completleyantigay
I am impressed at russia this is how usa should have stopped the gays in usa itself..
Thats so nice to preserver our culture..
I hope every country does this ..and from now on i will boycott
eurovison songs.
Jack
@completleyantigay: You sound like a really intelligent person, we’re all so glad you took the time to share your useful opinion with us – and in such an informed and literate way!
Sigh
Yay completly antigay Im glad your proud to hate teh gays! Does that apply to lesbians to? Or is homosexuality ok when two chicks are hot?
Russia should be so proud of itself. Especially after the NeoNazi Beheading video. How progressive and forward…not
Miguelito
@JASON Tottally right, everyone’s saying “ospaciba” during the televoting, and no one dared to mention this.. that is disgusting.
Prof. O. G. Whataschnozell
@completleyantigay: Ok. Now that the parade is over are you going to keep trolling gay sites with anti-gay rhetoric not necessarily related to Russia?
You have issues that need addressing. Even China has rethought for the better their exclusion of gays from society. It must be the cold that causes this type of thinking.
schlukitz
@completleyantigay:
As an out and open gay man, I have never had the desire to troll about in straight chat rooms and blogs, since straight tits and ass is not my forte.
Which makes me wonder. Why would a purportedly straight person, like you, be trolling about in a gay chat or blog site?
Cock and ball much, do you?
Oh…and does your wife or girlfriend know that you do this?
schlukitz
@Sigh:
These people are not worth blowing your brains out over.
Don’t let the bastards get you down.
If you do, they win.
Queerky
@completeleyantigay
Agreed. After all the gays have been destroyed, next in line are the poor spellers and bad grammarians. Then the low IQ people. Toodle pip old chum.
Ado-Anney
Here’s the story on the UK Pink News
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-12472.html#
hephaestion
Did any of the Eurovision performers refuse to perform in protest of these actions by the Moscow police?
alan brickman
from the country that produced “Tatu” this happens??…
Alexander
The ‘Tatu’ is the product of one man only, it was his commercial project, nothing more.
Need Supporters
Lol! I have much easier ways of acquiring emails for any spam I might want to do.
I don’t have anything to spam though.
I didn’t want to broadcast the idea to avoid negative comments in response to my post because I’d likely not return to read them or return a message for clarification or debate etc.
I did have someone from the forums email me and they sound as if they had the idea or maybe the idea has come up before. I’ll need to speak with them about where they got the information they sent me before I start blurting out my idea.
I don’t want to come off as being the original idea creator if it’s not an original idea. I’m sure you could appreciate that thought.
The idea should satisfy both groups of people equally.
I’m not really a gay community supporter, nor am I religious so I don’t support those guys either, but I do support equal rights. And so long as the individual is classified as a human being, they deserve the same rights everyone else does.
Shoot me an email if you want more information. By all means create an alias email like I did just to receive the emails, I don’t care how you get a hold of me. The more people from the gay community that give me their input the better it will be to help satisfy the gay community’s wants and needs.
Alan
GOD LOVES SINNERS BUT HATE SINS!
WE ARE ALL SINNERS…BUT WE STILL HAVE TIME, REPENT, REPENT!!!
strumpetwindsock
@Alan:
Okay Alan…
I can’t bear the weight of my transgression any more.
I admit I stole that handfull of nuts from the scoop bin at the grocery last week, and rolled through a stop sign on the way home.
Humanist 101
Oh look it’s the US 25 years ago! Charming!
Casper O
oh shit i forgot, i’m supposed to repent again… damn procrastination.
i think i’m going to repent naked with a nice merlot today
Chris_Yes that one
OMG!!! And not one person attacking us is African American.
KyleR
@hephaestion:
The Dutch were going to boycott the Finals, but since they didn’t make it, that really didn’t matter. And most of Europe won’t really do anything considering they get the majority of their natural gas from Russia.
MadProfessah
If you are interested in International LGBT Rights around the world you should contact (and support) the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission at http://www.iglhrc.org
(caveat, I used to be on their board for 6 years–they do amazing work for very little money!)
Paul
Those communist bastards!
DeAnimator
Way to go Russia. No, you guys are totally modern. Remember when the most recent Indiana Jones came out and they were complaining about how offensive it was and how “Russians aren’t like that anymore” and their nation has progressed. HA! Have fun in the cold war time period you backward a-holes.
The Breakdown
This video is FAKE.
We all know this cannot be true.
Russians are WHITE.
they can’t be homophobes. It’s only the blacks.
Anonymous
@The Breakdown: I have seen numerous pictures of this incident and sadly I know about 75% of them are photo shopped. Though I do stand with my gay counterparts where ever they may be I do not promote “self” victimization.
After all, there are those of us who are not jewish.
Eve
By stopping these protest all the Russian government is doing is fuelling the fire.
At least 1 in every 10 people are either gay or bisexual.
If Russians think that love is two people is “satanic” then God help them.
At the in of the day love is love and surly love is better than hate?
? + ? = ? gender
? + ? = ? doesn’t
? + ? = ? matter