If you want to live in Russia, you'd better be straight!

[Aliantha]

I was watching Sky News this morning and saw footage of the assaults on the activists mentioned in this article. I also saw footage of police allowing these assaults to continue beyond what would normally seem acceptable in Australian society and presumably other western cultures.

I was surprised at the level of intolerance displayed.

Here is an exerpt from the sky news site:

Russian Police Break Up Gay Rights March
Updated: 11:42, Sunday May 27, 2007

Two European lawmakers have been arrested by Russian police in a crackdown on a gay rights protest.
Police swooped on 100 demonstrators who were protesting against a march ban imposed by the mayor of Moscow.

Gay rights leader Nikolai Alexeyev is arrestedA dozen protesters, including the two legislators, were taken away.

Earlier, the protesters had been pelted with eggs and punched by neo-Nazi demonstrators who chanted: "Moscow is not Sodom".

More here

[Hagar]

That's alright, we're going the other way to balance out the globe...

"Gay bar wins right to ban heterosexuals"

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=269523

Need some pink pistols over there for those skinheads.

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia's homosexual community plans to push ahead with a gay pride march in the capital on Sunday despite opposition from city authorities and far-right extremists, an organiser said Saturday.

Meanwhile, a group of hardline Orthodox Christians and Russian nationalists said they would organise a counter-protest about two kilometres (1.25 miles) away from the gay pride march under the label "for a real love." Some 500 people demonstrated on Saturday in central Moscow against homosexuality.

Gay pride organiser Nikolai Alexeyev told journalists on Saturday that marchers would deliver a letter to Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov asking that the demonstration and others like it be authorised. The mayor had earlier called gay pride "the work of Satan."

The march has been banned by city authorities and clashes are feared with extreme-rightists similar to those that occurred in May last year.

"We invite all those who support the cause of sexual minorities to meet in front of Moscow city hall at noon Moscow time (0800 GMT)," Alexeyev said.

He was accompanied by members of the European Parliament, the Strasbourg assembly of the European Union, as well as Italian, German and Austrian lawmakers. Far-right parliament member Alexei Mitrofanov was also present.

Sophie Int Veld, Dutch member of the European Parliament, said gay rights was above all question of civil rights.

"Why does the European Commission talk about the economy, but not human rights in Russia?" she said. "There are not different conceptions of human rights in Russia. The rights of homosexuals are rights universally recognised."

Moscow police said late Saturday they would take all legal measures to prevent any attempts at provocation.

"The organisers of this type of event do not protect the rights of sexual minorities, but use the citizens with non-traditional orientations for their own purposes, provoking trouble in the capital," said police spokesman Viktor Biryukov.

At last year's parade, also held in defiance of a ban, more than 100 people were arrested and dozens of gay rights campaigners were attacked by skinheads shouting "Moscow is not Sodom."

If you don't like that I posted the whole article... so what.

[DanaC]

Peter Tatchell, one of the activists attacked, is a highly respected, long standing British campaigner for human rights. Used to be pretty much villified when he started out, but he's been around so long and been so consistent in his work that now even the tabloids like him.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by Hagar

That's alright, we're going the other way to balance out the globe...

"Gay bar wins right to ban heterosexuals"

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=269523

I saw that too Hagar. I think it's the most ridiculous ruling ever. All stakeholders should be ashamed.

I don't think this will do anything other than promote tension between gay and straight people, particularly men.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Though, per a quirk of Russian idiom, the Pink Pistols would be the Sky-Blue Pistols.

I'm rather expecting word that Eastern European nightclub comedians will answer "Moscow is not Sodom!" with an "Oh, yeah?"

Heck, one of the best gay-porn sites I've ever heard of (Mike18) is an all Russian affair. It's the best one around because everybody looks like they're enjoying it. From the amount of epidermis they're showing in their usual woodsy environs, I hope they've got plenty of insect repellent on.

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Peter Tatchell, one of the activists attacked, is a highly respected, long standing British campaigner for human rights. Used to be pretty much villified when he started out, but he's been around so long and been so consistent in his work that now even the tabloids like him.

He does like to make mileage out of these sorts of events though, doesn't he - find an event that's gay-themed and controversial and he's there stirring it up and on the receiving end of any violent outbreak that ensues - it's almost as though he relishes the opportunity to be thumped (now there's an interesting insight...)

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Heck, one of the best gay-porn sites I've ever heard of (Mike18) is an all Russian affair. It's the best one around because everybody looks like they're enjoying it. From the amount of epidermis they're showing in their usual woodsy environs, I hope they've got plenty of insect repellent on.

I'm not eeeeven going to ask, UG.

[Aliantha]

Ibram, even UG is allowed to watch porn you know...even gay porn if it's what cranks his engine. lol

[DanaC]

it's almost as though he relishes the opportunity to be thumped

Nope. I think he relishes the opportunity to show people the thuggish nature of the far right.

It isn't just gay rights that he campaigns on. It's human rights more generally. He goes for high profile stunts, because that's how campaigning works. Bit like when he tried to perform a citizen's arrest on Mugabe.