Russia: Pride rally held in St Petersburg Sunday without violence
Russian news sources report that a peaceful Gay pride parade took place in St Petersburg on Sunday, despite organisers being told to hold the event on a landfill site.
The Moscow and St. Petersburg Times reported some two dozen LGBT activists rallied in the Field of Mars square on Sunday to celebrate gay pride.
QueerRussia.com reports that 150 attendees at the event.
Despite the event being without violence, a number of attendees were detained by Russian police forces for carrying placards depicting images and sayings, which fell under Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law.
The law, signed by Vladimir Putin last June, bans the “promotion of non-traditional sexual relations” to minors.
The rally was organized by gay rights group Ravnopraviye (Equality); they previously applied for a permit to hold a pride march in St Petersburg but were refused. As an alternative, authorities in St Petersburg suggested the organisers of the city’s Pride rally hold it on a landfill site instead.
Last year’s St Petersburg rally ended in multiple arrests and violence.
