May 27, 2007News: Gay Rights Activists in Moscow Assaulted by Mob, Arrested by Police
By vanrozenheim
(Moscow, Russia) - More than 20 people were detained by police in Moscow near the building of the Moscow City Hall, where gay activists performed an action in support of gay rights. Nikolai Alekseyev, one of the organizers of the demo, is among the detainees, along with Marco Capatto, a European Parliament deputy from Italy, and Volker Beck, member of the German Bundestag.
The demonstrators gathered in front of the Moscow City Hall to present a letter signed by some 40 European lawmakers to the office of Moscow's mayor, urging to lift the ban on the gay march.
The police forced several demonstrators into a bus, while pushing aside others, while at the same time permitting the homophobic counter-protesters to threw eggs and punch the gay rights activists.
The Associated Press reports that Marco Capatto, a European Parliament deputy from Italy, was kicked by a gay rights opponent as he spoke to journalists; Capatto began shouting "Where are the police?" and officers hauled him away as he struggled with them.
The only Russian politician to support the action was member of the Duma Alexei Mitrofanov (from the Russian Liberal and Democratic Party).
Administrative charges have been brought against participants of an action in support of homosexuals detained on Sunday in downtown Moscow.
"Eight participants of the unauthorized gay parade, which organizers tried to hold near the monument to Yury Dolgoruky are accused of violating the rules of holding rallies and marches (Article 20.2 of the Russian Administrative Code) and traffic rules (Article 19.3)," a source in Moscow law enforcement agencies told Interfax.
The arrested activists were brought to the Tverskoye and Presnenskoye precincts. Meanwhile, UK Gay News reports that Volker Beck has been released by police and is back at his hotel giving interview to German TV. Staffers of GayRussia.Ru report that Peter Tatchell had been hit in the eye, but so far no details of his injuries could be provided.
None of the homophobic mobsters were seen being taken away by police and demonstrators complained that police ignored the violence.
