Moscow Officials Refuse to Authorize Gay Pride Parade

In news that's disappointing but not so surprising, Moscow authorities are refusing again to allow a Gay Pride march in the city, The Moscow Times reports:

"From our point of view, there is no need for such events in the city," said Alexei Mayorov, head of City Hall's security department and Moscow's pointman on approving rallies, Interfax reported.

He said gay activists would be officially notified about the rejection Wednesday.

On Monday, gay activists applied for official permission to hold a parade, picket and meeting on May 25, saying they would take to the streets irrespective of whether authorities grant permission. Every year since 2006, when the first request was filed, Moscow authorities have refused to grant permission for a gay pride parade.

Russian Duma Passes Ban on Gay 'Propaganda' in 390-1 Vote on First Reading: VIDEO

Russia's Duma has passed a bill banning gay "propaganda" in a 390-1 vote on the bill's first reading Russian LGBT Network reports in a press release:

Today, January 25, the Russian State Duma passed bill against so called "propaganda of homosexualism" in the first reading (out of 390 deputes, 1 voted against, 1 abstained). 52 deputes didn't vote. The bill was introduced by the Novosibirsk region Legislative Assembly on 28 March. Its first reading was delayed many times. According to the article 6.13.1 the fine for persons is 4-5.000RUB (132-165USD), for officials -- 40-50 000RUB (1300-1600USD), and 400-500 000RUB (13 200-16 500USD) for companies. Similar laws have passed in 10 regions of Russia.

Now the Committee on Family, Women and Children Matters is to refine the bill taking in account all amendments received and initiate the second reading by the Russian State Duma. The Duma decision states that the responsible Committee should accept the amendments that determine the "homosexualism" term description or to replace it with another term which can be found in the Russian legislation and to specify the set of elements of this administrative offense. The amendments will be accepted for consideration till 25 May.

Elena Mizulina, the head of the Committee for Family Matters, declared that the task team on this matter will be organized. According to her, there will be a representative from LGBT in this team.

Igor Kochetkov, the Chairman of the LGBT network: "The State Duma must pass the laws that prohibit any discrimination. If the task team, Mizulina said about, is ready to change the bill 6.13.1 so that it no more contains provisions offending and discriminating LGBT community, than we are ready to take part in this team and make our proposals. Another question is who will be in this team. It's important to hear not only an opinion of related parties but also an opinion of independent human right defenders. We think that apart from people mentioned by Mizulina, there must be representatives of Russian Federation ombudsman and human right organizations, who have an experience in defending the freedom of expression and right to exercise the freedom of peaceful assembly, in this team. Only if these terms are observed, we can talk about considering this bill not on religious or political grounds but from human right and respect for human dignity point of view”*.

After two more readings, the bill will be signed by President Vladimir Putin.

Russian police broke up another kiss-in protest outside the State Duma in Moscow as it prepared to consider the law, Reuters reports:

Police said about 20 people were detained outside the State Duma, the lower house, after minor scuffles broke out between rival groups of supporters and opponents of the law. The supporters, some of them holding Russian Orthodox icons or crosses, cheered and threw eggs as police hauled away protesters who started kissing. One gay activist was splashed with green paint, witnesses said.

If approved by the two houses of parliament, and signed by Putin, the law would ban the promotion of gay events across Russia and impose fines on the organizers.

Three dozen were detained in the protest, according to the AP.

Watch a Euronews report on the recent uptick in violence and the Duma's consideration of the bill, AFTER THE JUMP...

LGBT Activists Assaulted for Kissing in Moscow as Lawmakers Postpone Hearings on Gay Ban: VIDEO

A group of activists staging a kiss-in in Moscow to protest the proposed ban on "gay propaganda" were assaulted by homophobes on Tuesday outside of Parliament.

Watch the Euronews report and video of the bashing, AFTER THE JUMP...

RT reports that hearings on the proposed ban have been postponed:

The Russian State Duma has returned the bill on a nationwide gay propaganda ban to the preparatory stage, prompting conspiracy suggestions from some top level MPs.

The Lower House had already postponed the hearings from mid-December to the end of January, but as the date neared the lawmakers decided to return the draft law to the State Duma suggesting the nationwide ban on promotion of paedophilia and homosexuality among minors needed further discussion.

The news was announced to reporters by the head of the leftist Fair Russia faction, Sergey Mironov, who also said that he was perplexed by this fact. “We are talking about the ban on propaganda. Do you remember how [the head of the parliamentary committee for family policy] Yelena Mizulina said that she had a feeling that someone was deliberately opposing all bills concerning this subject? Now we postponed it again, and it raises questions,” Mironov told reporters.

Activists were also attacked in the city of Voronezh on Sunday. See our report here.

Russian Gay Rights Protesters Egged, Attacked at Kiss-In Protesting Oppressive, Homophobic Censorship Laws: VIDEO

Here's more info on the protests in Russia today against laws that would ban "gay propaganda", along with better video showing the egg-throwing, the attacks on the demonstrators and the kiss-in.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

And more info from the Russian LGBT Network:

Today, 19 December 2012, Russian LGBT activists in different cities took to the streets protesting against a new amendment (article 6.13.1) to the Administrative Offences Code of the Russian Federation which creates administrative responsibility for so called 'propaganda of homosexualism". The protests were took place despite the fact that the State Duma moved the first reading of draft law at the very last moment to 22 January 2013.

In Moscow 20 activists from Russian LGBT network and Equality March gathered for a series of one-man pickets with banners "We are against article 6.13.1", "For freedom of views and believes, against totalitarian law" and other. The pickets took place from 9:00 till 11:00 near the Russian State Duma building. And although at the same time the pickets of so called Orthodox activists took place nearby, there were no one arrested.

At 12:00 LGBT activists approached the Duma to hold a "Propaganda of love" protest act involving couples kissing in front of the Duma building (homosexual as well as heterosexual ones). In several minutes the Orthodox activists started to throw eggs at the LGBT activists, some of aggressive men attacked the couples. The police arrested 18 people around 12:30. Among them were 11 participants, 5 Orthodox activists and 2 journalists. All arrested were handed into a prison truck, where they were kept for more than two hours without being informed about the reason of their arrest. Now they are still in the police station.

In Saint Petersburg there were also one man pickets. 5 LGBT activists from "St.Petersburg LGBT-organization Coming Out" and from the "Straights for the LGBT equality Alliance" protested in Malaya Sadovaya Street. The police watched the pickets but arrested no one.

In -35C frozen Tomsk Russian LGBT network activist Natalia Mizina protested in front of the regional Administration building for 30 minutes. She wasn't arrested as well.

There was an approved protest rally in Samara. It's interesting that the city government rejected the rally in the proposed place but approved it in the Safono's boulevard near a school. Six people took place in a rally, there were about the same number of policemen and journalists. Some of people passing by took side of the activists. No one was arrested in Samara despite the fact that there is a law prohibiting so called "propaganda of homosexuality".

In Arkhangelsk there were 3 pickets near the Regional Deputy Assembly for the Russian LGBT network campaign "Against article 6.13.1".

Here's the group's Facebook page where you can find more photos.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Russian Police Detain Protesters After Scuffle During Protest Against Ban on 'Gay Propaganda': VIDEO

A kiss-in protest against Russia's proposed ban on "gay propaganda" was broken up by police outside Parliament today after gay rights protesters got into a scuffle with anti-gay activists. People on both sides were reportedly detained.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

RT reports:

The first hearing on the bill was scheduled for December 19 and the kissing event was timed to coincide, but when the State Duma postponed the consideration of the draft the activists decided that they would protest twice. The State Duma will now consider the bill that imposes large fines for promotion of homosexuality and paedophilia among minors in January. It has been submitted by the legislative assembly of the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, and similar laws have been approved in several Russian regions, including the country’s second largest city of St. Petersburg. There has been huge public debate and an outcry from the gay community.

The organizers of the protest say the bill attempts to make them ‘invisible’, to ban them from speaking about their problems and practically “live undercover”. They also claim that by publicly kissing they intended to demonstrate that love is an intimate thing and must not have any relation to politics.

As the gay propaganda ban is slowly moving towards nationwide approval, many Russians have joined the gays in expressing their discontent with it.

Masked Men Attack 'Coming Out Day' Party at Gay Club in Moscow, Three Hospitalized: VIDEO

What sounds like a horrific scene took place in Moscow yesterday at the 7Freedays club where approximately 50 people were celebrating "Coming Out Day." 7freedays calls itself the "first gl [gay and lesbian]-friendly bar in Russia."

The Moscow Times reports:

Unidentified police officials told Life News that the attackers were dressed in dark clothes and medical masks and that many of them had shaved heads. A witness in the club at the time of the raid told the tabloid that the men threw acid on him. Other witnesses said the group struck club-goers repeatedly over the course of five to six minutes, turned over tables and threw bottles, then fled.

Earlier this week, nationalist Orthodox organization the People's Council called for the closure of all gay clubs in Moscow as part of an effort to prohibit the "promotion of homosexuality."

Three were hospitalized following the chaotic struggle, RIA Novosti reports:

About 20 masked attackers burst into the 7freedays club, where people were celebrating “coming out day,” Andrei Obolensky, the event’s organizer, told RIA Novosti.

“They pulled a gun on the bouncers as they entered the club. Then they shouted ‘You wanted a show?’” Obolensky told RIA Novosti. “People were bleeding; they had been hit in the head with bottles.”

Two of the three people hospitalized for the injuries they sustained in the attack have now been released from hospital. One girl, who suffered a serious eye injury, is still being treated.

Here's a slideshow of some of the damage.

Watch a Russian news report on the attack, AFTER THE JUMP...

St. Petersburg and several other Russian cities have recently passed laws banning "gay propaganda" and promotion of homosexuality. A similar ban is under consideration in Moscow.