Russian police arrest 17 gay rights May Day protesters in St. Petersburg for "spreading gay propaganda"

Russian police arrest 17 gay rights May Day protesters in St. Petersburg

ST PETERSBURG, Russia | Tue May 1, 2012 9:53am EDT

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian police detained at least 17
gay rights demonstrators during May Day celebrations in St Petersburg
on Tuesday, a rights group said.

The detentions follow the adoption of a law by the city authorities
which imposes fines for spreading gay "propaganda" among minors, which
European diplomats have said lacks clarity and allows too much room
for interpretation by police.

Russian lawmakers are considering similar legislation nationwide.

Svetlana Barsukova, a member of St Petersburg-based homosexual rights
group "Coming Out", said various groups of gay rights activists had
been detained in different parts of the city after trying to unfurl
rainbow flags.

"(Activists) began to wave flags and (police) detained them," she said.

Olga Lenkova, a spokeswoman for Coming Out, said the 17 were being
charged with not cooperating with police.

U.S. pop star Madonna, who is due to perform in St Petersburg in
August, has said she will use her tour to speak out against what
homosexual groups have called increasing intolerance towards the
expression of homosexuality.

May Day parades in Russia are used by various activist groups as a
platform to demonstrate their cause.

Homosexuality, punishable with jail terms in the Soviet Union, was
decriminalized in Russia in 1993, but anti-gay prejudice runs deep and
much of the homosexual community remains largely underground.

The Russian Orthodox Church, whose influence has grown since the
collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, speaks out against homosexuality
and gay rights rallies have often ended in arrests.

(Reporting By Liza Dobkina, Writing by Thomas Grove)

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/01/us-russia-gay-detention-idUSBRE8400U620120501

--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy



--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

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