Weâre getting reports from Russia that police have started arresting LGBT organizers in at least two cities. According to organizers on the ground in Russia, four have been arrested in St. Petersburg and over a dozen in Moscow.
According to The Washington Blade, police rounded up more than a dozen people who were holding rainbow flags and singing the national anthem.
Video shows a snowy nighttime scuffle in Red Square, Moscow is about a thousand miles north of Sochi.
Also according to the Blade, four organizers were arrested earlier in the day in St. Petersburg, about 400 miles north of Moscow. The Russian LGBT Network confirms that account, listing Anastasiya Smirnova and Aleksandra Semenova as among the arrested.
Reports from the St. Petersburg arrest indicate that the organizers were holding a banner reading âDiscrimination is incompatible with the Olympic Movement. Principle 6. Olympic Charter.â
Smirnova reports that theyâve been charged with participation in an illegal public assembly, with a hearing scheduled for tomorrow. If theyâre found guilty, the fine would be around 600 to 800 dollars.
So, thatâs awesome.
Mel
Red Square is pretty
Stefano
It’s too late to protest.
Cam
@Stefano:
It’s never too late.
Stefano
@Cam : in this case, yes.
Stefano
By the way, only 7 athletes at Sotchi have made their coming out….7 women. đ no man.
MK Ultra
oh Russia, so much worse than any western country, without any chance of getting better
Harley
@Stefano: didn’t you hear? There are NO gay MEN in Russia. Lesbians okay .
Harley
Sry. Sochi.
Stefano
@Harley : funny. If there are NO gay men in Russia why make a law against them ? đ
queertyreader
They should have never allowed for Russia to be the host for the Olympics.
Mr_Giggles
@queertyreader: so agree