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1st REPORTS FROM THIS YEAR'S MOSCOW PRIDE -- Protest going forward despite attempted repression
Author
- Gay Liberation Network
Date Created
- 01 Jun 2008
Date Edited
- 01 Jun 2008 03:55:36 AM
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This work is in the public domain.
Following two previous years in which Moscow Lesbians and Gays have faced legal banning, physical assaults by neo-fascists and religious zealots, and arrests, Moscow Pride is going forward in about a half hour from now despite threats from the authorities.
Russian gay leader Nikolai Alexeyev under arrest in 2007 for organizing Moscow Pride. The Russian constitution, as well as treaties to which Russia is a party, supposedly guarantee the right to assemble and protest.
Follow live, on the scene blogging about Moscow Pride at the following URL:
http://ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/08/May/3107.htm
At 1 PM local time (4 AM U.S. Central Time) Russian Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) people will attempt to conduct the 3rd annual Moscow Pride with a picket in front of Moscow City Hall, at the offices of the notoriously anti-gay Mayor Luzhkov.
Already the authorities have attempted to arrest Moscow Pride's principal organizer, Nikolai Alexeyev, in a "pre-emptive arrest" which is very common in the country. Fortunately he has thus far evaded capture.
Six decades after Russia lost millions of people in the war against Nazi Germany, Russian fascists demonstrate against Moscow Pride in 2007, and attempt several physical attacks on Pride participants.
Two days ago, in an apparent move towards liberalization, gayrussia.ru reported:
"It was announced that Administration of Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev called Prefecture of the Central Administrative area of Moscow to allow Gay Pride event in one of the locations in downtown Moscow. Though the organizers still have not received any proposals from Moscow authorities."
Given that local authorities have already tried to arrest Mr. Alexeyev this morning, it's clear that Moscow LGBT people still very much have their work cut out for them.
The Russian Orthodox Church, seen here blessing thugs before they go off to attack gay nightclubs, has joined every other major religious denomination in calling for the physical repression of Moscow Pride.
Pictures of this year's Moscow Pride will be posted as soon as they become available.
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Comments
Russian Blog Update
01 Jun 2008
Here are the latest blog entries:
13:00. Moscow police and OMOH have been fooled. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: "Gay picket at Moscow took place fifteen minutes ago in front of the Tchaikovsky statue. Police were not there."
There were 35 people on the demonstration ...they unveiled a banner and flag. There were journalist present ...
13:05: No one was arrested at the Tchaikovsky statue. Picket lasted for ten minutes .. there were chants of "Tchaikovsky was also gay", "no to homophobes" and "equal rights for LGBT". A police car arrived five minutes after the demonstration started. The police informed the OMOH, but was too late as the location is not too easy to reach by car.
13:15: Second "action" in front of City Hall started five minutes ago.
13:20: Activists unfurl a six metre banner in front of City Hall. The banner, displayed on a second floor apartment across the street.
13:25: Nikolai Alexeyev reports: "As we told our people our plan beforehand, there are no gays on the square opposite City Hall. We are all safe in the apartment."
13:30. Anti-gay protesters and police are bewildered. They don't know where the gay demonstrators are! 250 balloons have been released and are now flying over Moscow.
Protest Over, But Moscow Police Raiding Activists' Apartment Right Now
01 Jun 2008
13:45: Police are trying to break the door of the apartment where the activists are. Without a court order, this is a breach of private property - and illegal.
13:53. Activist Alexey Davydov has been arrested. He was in some sort of a fight with anti-gay protesters
13:55. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: "We have called the foreign media to let them know that the police are trying to breakdown the apartment door."
14:00. Police prevent reporters from getting into apartment building. Activists trapped in apartment, but are being interviewed over the telephone. AFP lead the foreign press pack.
14:10: Fo[u]r gay activists are trapped in the apartment block. Three uniformed police officers with two, presumably, plain-clothed officers, are still trying to break-down the door.
Moscow Gays Successfully Hold Pride, But Police Raids and Arrests Made
01 Jun 2008
All photos copywrited GayRussia.ru
Gay and lesbians activists unveil their banners and flags in front of the statue of Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, the famous 19th Century Russian gay composer. The statute is located in front of the Musical conservatory. The location is a 5 minute walk from Moscow City Hall. This is at 12:45 PM.
In order to have the media but no police and anti-gay counter-protesters, Alekseev gathered the journalists from AFP, AP, Reuters, ARD (German TV first channel), ORF (Austrian TV), and Sweedish TV near a metro station far from the center at 11:15 AM. We had rented a bus to go with all of them. They initially thought that they would go with us up to the City Hall. Our plan was to tell the driver to change the route at the last minute and reach the square where we conducted our first action.
At the same time, about 20 activists gathered near the metro station Arbatskaya at 11 AM. One person was leading the group toward the statute. No one knew in advance in which place they were going. Only the person leading the group was informed.
At 12:45 PM, we arrived with the mini bus and everyone unveilled the banners and the flags.
...more photos to come.
Keep up to date with latest developments on GayRussia's live blog:
ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/08/May/3107.htm
More photos from Moscow Pride (before the repression)
01 Jun 2008
Within 1 minute, activists stop the actions and disassemble to avoid the arrival of the OMOH (the Russian riot police).
We ask all readers of this notice to please contact the Russian embassy and demand that they respect the basic human right of Lesbian and Gay people to assemble. Demand that they immediately release all those who were arrested.
Telephone the Embassy of the Russian Federation:
202-298-5700, 202.298-5701, 202.298-5704
Send a Fax to:
202-298-5735