Moscow gay pride turns violent

June 14, 7:40 PMInternational LGBT Issues ExaminerKelvin Lynch

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 Photo: AP

We think we are brave here in the United States by marching in our gay pride parades, but the situation is gravely different in other parts of the world.   Last month, the gay pride march in Moscow proved that point.  The march started out peacefully, but quickly devolved into violence.

BBC News reported that "a gay rights demonstration in Moscow degenerated into violence for the second year in a row, as right-wing and orthodox extremists attacked gay rights activists and supporters.  Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov called homosexuals 'satanic'."

GayRussia leader Nikolai Alexeyev was bundled into a police van and driven away moments after arriving outside the offices of Mayor Luzhkov

British veteran gay rights activist Peter Tatchell was punched in the face by an anti-gay rights protester. After receiving the blow, he leaned on a lamppost and shouted: "Someone protect me, Someone protect me," before being roughly escorted away by police.

Peter Tatchell (r) punched by anti-gay protester/Photo: AFP

Nationalists pelted German MP Volker Beck with eggs and tomatoes before officers took him to a waiting police van. He was driven away to a government building, then later released. Italian MEP Marco Cappato intervened to stop a Strasbourg parliamentary aide being attacked. "Where are the police? Why aren't you protecting us?" Cappato shouted as nationalists gathered nearby, prompting officers to take the MEP away and drive him to a police station.

Marco Cappato taken away by police/Photo: AFP

Orthodox extremists and nationalists arrived to speak to journalists and denounce the event. Some chanted "Moscow is not Sodom" and "No to pederasty." 

Someone briefly unfurled a rainbow-coloured banner - adopted by gay rights groups as a symbol of pride. One extremist began punching the person holding the banner. The police broke up the scuffle but allowed the attacker to walk away.

On numerous occasions, nationalists circled gay rights activists as they spoke with journalists, then reached in to punch or kick the person being interviewed. One journalist was attacked because he wore an earring, which led nationalists to say he was gay. Police intervened to arrest dozens of gay rights activists and only rarely detained their attackers.

Please take a moment to send a message of support to GayRussia and Nikolai Alexeyev for his brave work in a hostile country.

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