Homophobia and Repression in Moscow

Protesters for LGBT rights in Moscow at the weekend were set upon by neo-nazi, fascist and Orthodox attackers and then arrested in a blatant show of bigoted bias by the Moscow Police. The Russian equality campaigners were being supported by campaigners and elected representatives from Western Europe including fellow Green Party of England and Wales Green Left activist and PPC for Oxford East Peter Tatchell. Peter was assaulted and then he was taken away by police. German Green MEP Volker Beck and Italian Radical MEP Marco Cappato were also detained. The Right Said Fred singer Richard Fairbrass was also attacked. Some of the far right thugs were only detained by police when it was clear that the journalists present had filmed their actions and were filming the lack of Police response.

British Media reports from the Guardian, the BBC and the Independent.

Green MEP Caroline Lucas spoke out earlier in the week about the continued repression against LGBT communities in Russia and Lithuania.

Peter's Guardian Comment is Free article from 25th May, on the situation in Eastern Europe is here.

It is clear that the danger of authoritarianism and bigotry is still very real in Russia, and those fighting it must be supported. Also a look at the comments section of even liberal newspaper articles on LGBT issues shows that homophobia and discrimination are still very much alive in Western Europe too, if less publicly confident.
The struggle continues!