Russian mayor declares town of 15k ‘gay free zone’ over penis lollies
The mayor of a Russian town housing 15,000 people has declared it a “gay free zone”.
Sergey Davydov, the mayor of Svetogorsk, bordering Finland, has bragged about how there are no gays in his town, which borders Finland.
Davydov was apparently outraged by the sale of penis-shaped lollipops in his local bakery.
He said “there are and will be no gays” in his town, adding that “they won’t get here, even from the West”.
The mayor has been mocked online for his comments, being labelled a “clown” and an “idiot” for the outlandish claims.
Shortly after he made his comments, two LGBT activists were detained when trying to enter the town from St Petersburg.
The two activists were “expelled” from the town.
Svetogorsk needs special permits to enter, as it borders the European Union.
Political opponents of the former military commissar pointed out that there is no way of him knowing that there is no gay population in the town of 15,000 people.
But the mayor says he is ready to hold a debate about gay people, or a lack of, in his town, saying: “Did you ever see a gay parade in Svetogorsk?”
He said gay parades are held “all the time” in St Petersburg, the nearst city.
But of his own town he says: “Just show me one gay and then we’ll talk about it.
“I offer this every day but nobody ever comes…”
The mayor says he is happy to meet “all those who ready to argue about the presence of people with non-traditional sexual behaviour in our town.”
According to reports, the mayor made his controversial comments after seeing penis-shaped lollipops being sold in one of the town’s bakeries.
But since he spoke out, his policy of discrimination has been copied in other areas.
Vyborg district regional boss Gennady Orlov said: “I support Davydov.
“There cannot be gay people in Vyborg District – and there must not be any.
“All those who want to be gay should go to Europe.”
Konstantin Platonov, the head of Ivangorod, bordering Estonia, also said he “doesn’t know any gay people.
“I did not meet them in our town… And I hope I never meet them here.”
The MP fo the region Vladimir Petrov, representing the Slantsy district, said: “I understand Svetogorsk town is free from gays, because this is what the mayor, a colonel of the Russian army, has said.
“And who can we trust more in this country if not an officer?
“I can say, too, that the whole of Slantsy district is free from gays.
“So we have joined the fight, and we are close to the border… Estonia is very close.”
But many took to social media to criticise the claims, some asking how the mayor “checked” all 15,000 people in his town for homosexuality.
