Lt. Dan Choi, others beaten at Moscow gay pride

[sixmile]

http://gay.americablog.com/2011/05/us-gay-rights-activist-dan-choi-others.html

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/imHYxeyILNPcOUC3sufNcw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD00NTA7cT04NTt3PTMzMg--/

'From various emails and Tweets from Dan:
LGBT Activists (led by Russian Transgender citizen (male pronoun) Anna Komarova) arrested after attacks by Neo-Nazis

Headed to unknown Moscow Station

Right ear ringing small bleeding, 8 in the car including me and Andy Thayer....

Louis Georges-Tin (Intl Day Against Homophobia) sent into isolation after singing Bizet's Toreador.

I am now in isolation for yelling "Discriminatzya!"

more at link

[pampango]

1. RIANovosti: Over 30 gay parade supporters, opponents arrested in central Moscow

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20110528/164290793.html

Over 30 gay parade supporters and opponents were arrested on Saturday, the city's police representative said.

Police in Moscow said on Friday they would enforce the city's ban on a protest by gay rights campaigners in the Russian capital. Nikolai Alexeyev, Russia's leading gay rights activist and head of the Moscow Gay Pride organization, has said activists would try to hold the city's first gay rights rally on May 28, despite a ban on the event.

The request to hold the rally was rejected earlier this month by the city government, which restated its position on Wednesday. The city received complaints from religious groups, ultra-nationalists and the Moscow City Parent Committee over the application and warned that such a protest could trigger violence.

Last year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia had violated the rights of gay activists by refusing to allow them to openly protest, and ordered the government to pay a fine and damages amounting to about $40,000.

I wonder if last year's $40,000 fine was ever paid.

[kas125]

2. I knew when I clicked on this that Andy would be there again, too.

I was very worried about him when he was imprisoned there before, I hope it's not worse for them this time.

[knitter4democracy]

3. Crap. That's bad.

Their legal system is a joke, and homophobia is rampant. He needs a good Russian lawyer stat.

[lunatica]

4. I hope they'll be OK

I don't think I would be that brave if violence was practically guaranteed.

[Overseas]

5. K&R.

Sorry to hear it.