Mar 05, 2007News: Moscow Mayor Press Secretary’s Alleged Assault on Gay Russian Journalist
By vanrozenheim
(London, UK) - The Metropolitan Police are investigating a complaint of an alleged assault on Russian gay activist and journalist Nikolai Alekseev in London last week following the press conference given by the mayors of London, Berlin, Paris, Moscow and Beijing at City Hall. The press secretary of Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, Sergi Tsoi is said to have approached Mr. Alekseev, who was displaying a Moscow Pride flag, and, allegedly using physical force and alleged threats, grabbed the flag.
The alleged incident, which happened shortly after the five mayors had left the press conference, was filmed and was widely shown on Russian television last week (streaming video report from NTV Moscow (in Russian) at http://news.ntv.ru/104695/).
Mr. Alekseev said today that he had reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police as a homophobic assault. A spokesman for the police said today that “police are investigating a report of an alleged assault at City Hall”.
Speaking from Moscow, Mr. Alekseev commented: “In Russia, people of such high standing get away with such incidents, but in Britain there is a slightly different perception of law.
“According to British law, Mr. Tsoi committed a crime and he should be responsible for it.
“Mr. Tsoi has used homophobic statements before – and now he is underpinning them with physical action in front of the media which means he feels more and more untouchable,” Mr. Alekseev added.
Gay human rights activist Peter Tatchell of Outrage! in London, who was demonstrating outside City Hall against the Moscow Mayor and his banning of Moscow Gay Pride, described the incident as “thuggish bullying” when he saw the television footage.
“It reveals yet again the repressive, authoritarian nature of the Mayor of Moscow's regime”.
“Mayor Luzhkov may be able to muzzle free speech and the right to protest in Moscow, but he cannot get away with such tactics in London.
“It was exceedingly discourteous for Mr Luzhkov’s staff to abuse the hospitality of the Mayor of London in this way.
“The mistreatment of Mr Alekseev was filmed by TV crews. It provides irrefutable evidence. I hope the London police will press charges,” said Mr. Tatchell.
Telephone calls to City Hall in Moscow today for comment were terminated.
