Polar Pride banned due to Russia’s ‘gay propaganda’ law
Members and supporters of the LGBT community take part in a May Day rally in St Petersburg on May 1, 2015. (OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP/Getty Images)
A pride event due to take place in the Arctic circle has been banned because of Russia’s anti-LGBT ‘gay propaganda’ law.
The parade, which was due to take place in Salekhard on January 29, was cancelled by city officials who claimed the country’s laws prevented it from going ahead.
Police stopped about 300 people from taking to the streets claiming it would be harmful to children’s “health and development”.
In 2012, pride events in Moscow were banned for 100 years with the gay propaganda law being signed by President Putin the following year.
Moscow Pride organiser Nikolai Alexeyev has continued to fight against the law.
“It will, if necessary, be brought to the European Court of Human Rights,” he said.
He added that it violates the constitution and the right it gives to Russian people to freely assemble.
Mr Alexeyev has helped people apply for permits to hold pride events all over Russia.
So far these have been refused in Arkhangelsk, Yekaterinburg, Cheylabinsk, Sarank, St Petersburg, Tula, Tver and Vladimir.
The author of the gay propaganda law also offered legislation that would legalise domestic violence.
It is about to pass the Russian parliament.
Earlier this year, the country announced it was going to create a register of HIV-positive patients.
