Moscow gay rights supporters arrested

[Charlie Brown]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5023466.stm

More than 70 people have been arrested in Moscow after activists tried to hold the city's first gay rights rally, despite a ban on the event.

About 50 gay rights supporters were held, as well as 20 people from religious and nationalist groups opposed to the march.

On Friday, a court upheld a ban on the march imposed by the city authorities who argued it could trigger violence.

About 1,000 riot police were deployed close to Red Square in the heart of the city to stop the rally from taking place and prevent clashes with its opponents.

They moved in when a group of activists tried to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in a symbolic protest to equate the struggle for gay rights with the struggle against fascism in World War II.

Meanwhile demonstrators representing nationalist and Orthodox Christian groups chanted anti-gay slogans and shouted abuse.

Eyewitnesses said several foreign gay rights activists were beaten by protesters.

"What happened today unfortunately is representative of the non-respect for human rights in Russia. You can't express your point of view, and you are not protected from extremists," said French activist Sebastien Maria.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. Want an elected leader that has contempt for democracy and human rights

and is on his way to become a dictator? Well, leave Chavez alone. Here's your guy:

[Laughing Mirror]

2. No, it's not Putin. It's the Mayor of Moscow the homophobe here

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said he had banned the march because he believed homosexuality was not natural and because the event would cause outrage in society - a position supported by many Christian and Muslim groups.

[xchrom]

3. that tapeworm would be right at home in the white house cabinet.

[Odin2005]

4. I heard on the BBC that fundimentalism is on the rise in Russia

[quaoar]

5. Talk about hard-core lunatics

From WaPo:

Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said in a radio interview Friday that gay parades “may be acceptable for some kind of progressive, in some sense, countries in the West, but it is absolutely unacceptable for Moscow, for Russia.”

“As long as I am mayor, we will not permit these parades to be conducted,” he said.