RUSSIA: British gay rights activist speaks out about Russian anti-gay attacks and police abuse

Record ID: 277056

  • Title: RUSSIA: British gay rights activist speaks out about Russian anti-gay attacks and police abuse
  • Date: 29th May 2007
  • Summary: (BN15) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MAY 27, 2007)(REUTERS) WIDE OF SLAVYANSKAYA SQUARE OUTSIDE MAYOR'S OFFICE RIOT POLICEMEN HOLDING METAL BARS PETER TATCHEL HOLDING SLOGAN "GAY RIGHTS" BEING PUSHED ON PAVEMENT AND BEATEN UP PEOPLE AT RALLY TATCHELL BEING PUNCHED IN FACE PROTEST PARTICIPANTS STANDING ON SQUARE POLICE TAKING TATCHELL AWAY
  • Embargoed: 13th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA81HL2Z1CWPUU1R5F0U74C2KAT
  • Story Text: A Gay Pride march in Moscow at which far-right activists kicked and punched the marchers was like a return to Soviet-era repression, British gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said on Monday (May 28).
    Tatchell, who had a black eye after being punched during the march on Sunday, said police failed to intervene as marchers were attacked by nationalists shouting "death to homosexuals." Police have denied ignoring the attacks.
    "The behaviour of the Moscow police toward the gay pride march was very reminiscent of the repression by the police in the Brezhnev era, of the old style Soviet communism,'' said Tatchell, referring to Leonid Brezhnev who led the Soviet Union throughout the 1970s. "But this time the police didn't do the bashing. They seemed to be working hand and glove with the Neo-nazis and ultra-nationalists to get them to bash us. But either way the end results was the same. We got arrested, we got bashed and most of the assailants were allowed to walk free.''
    A Moscow police official, who did not want to be identified, said officers had detained many of the assailants and pulled gay rights activists to safety when they were attacked.
    "I wasn't the only person arrested,'' said Tatchell. "Many foreign visitors who came here to support their gay and lesbian comrades were also arrested and also violently manhandled. I think we need to say very loud and clear to President Putin that Russia is welcome in the European family of nations but that involves responsibilities including respect for gay and lesbian human rights and including defense of the right to protest and freedom of expression.''
    Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who has called gay marches "satanic," refused permission to hold the parade. Riot police detained dozens of gay rights protesters, including two members of the European parliament.
    Tatchell said the treatment of the Gay Pride march was a symptom of a wider crackdown on democratic freedoms in Russia.
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