Thanks to twink-y Alexander Rybak (right), it was Norway who took home the top prize at the Eurovision Song Contest, undoubtedly the world’s most famous performance contest. (Yes, bigger than American Idol and Britain’s Got Talent.) But something else was going on in Moscow over the weekend: Gays were marching, sans permit, for their rights. City officials, under the direction of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, arrested between 20 and 80 people, including activists Andy Thayer and Peter Tatchell. But this wasn’t some hum-drum “put your hands behind your back” assault on free speech, as you’ll see from the photos below.
Austin
Well, I guess the good news is the Russians did allow
reporters to photograph it…..some small progress.
But in general, that’s how it’s done.
Some small group takes the hit, gets arrested, and it snowballs.
Glad somebody had the balls to take the hit and get it started.
dgz
i hope they’re all okay. forgive my ignorance, but was Russia always like this?
p.s. my ears are still bleeding from that song.
Michael
I love that the patch on the back of the camoflage police uniform is the mirror image of HOMO. Heh.
sal(the original)
whats happened to them now??the ones who were arrested
Jack
@Michael: Lol, you beat me to it…
sal(the original)
cuba had a parade recently and no violence…hmmmmm
sal(the original)
..and apparently raoul daughter led it.just read it on another website
Jeffree
Dan Choi’s twitterfeed is worth a look.
He’s still in police custody.
He notes that the US Government hasn’t been in contact with him, urges people to contact State Department…
Time for me to leave work & go sleep!
Jeffree
p.s. OMOH is the (Moscow) riot police, as opposed to the regular cops!
Dan shouted the Russian word for “Discrimination” before being arrested!