PROTEST OUTSIDE MOSCOW GAY CLUB

“Moscow is Not Sodom” chanted a group of 70 people in Moscow during a public protest on Saturday, reports GayRussia.Ru.

The action, organised by the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians (Pentecostals), was allowed by the city authorities.

In July, the Prefect of the Northern district of Moscow, Oleg Mitvol, started a campaign for morality, targeting gay clubs, saunas and ‘love hotels’.

The campaign accelerated on Friday evening when the Prefect raided the Body & Soul club with anti drug police and the prosecution department, arresting two visitors.

“Family against homosexuals”, “Russian against homosexuals” and “God is against homosexuals” could be read on the posters held by the group.

Konstantin Bendas, the representative of the Christian organisation, said the picket had two objectives: to back up the campaign of the Prefect and to attract attention to the issue of gay venues in residential districts.

“It once more shows that anti-gay protesters have the right to freedom of assembly in Russia which is not the case of gay citizens,” commented Nikolai Alekseev, head of the LGBT Human Rights Project GayRussia.Ru.

Moscow authorities have repeatedly refused to grant permission for any gay Pride events or pro-gay demonstrations to be held in the city.