MOSCOW MAYOR REITERATES PRIDE BAN

Moscow’s mayor has again called gay Pride parades “satanic” and re-stated his intention to continue to ban such events in the Russian capital.

Mayor Yuri Luzhkov made the comments in a speech at the opening of the XVIII Christmas Educational Readings in Moscow, reports GayRussia.

“[The parade] cannot be called anything but a satanic act. We have prevented such a parade and we will not allow it in the future. Everyone needs to accept this as an axiom,” said Luzhkov.

“It is high time to crack down on the parade with all the power and justice of the law, instead of talking about human rights.

“We need a social whip or something like that, not a liberal ginger cake.”

Luzhkov has made similar public comments about gay Pride events in the past. Moscow Pride organiser Nikolai Alekseev described the mayor’s comments as “medieval and homophobic rhetoric”

Russia has been hauled to the European Court of Human Rights by gay activists over the ongoing bans on LGBT events in the capital, including the bans on Pride parades since 2006. The court has given the Russian government until 20 February to explain its position.