Moscow Pride Banned By Mayor

For the fifth year in a row, Moscow Mayor Yury Lushkov has banned gay pride.

Not unexpectedly, the homophobic Mayor of Moscow, Yury Luzhkov, has banned the march planned in Russian capital as part of Moscow Pride on May 29. It is the fifth successive year that the Mayor, who infamously described Gay Pride parades a “satanic happenings”, has invoked a ban. “As soon as we receive the authorities’ refusal in writing, we will appeal it in the Tver District Court,” chief organiser Nikolai Alekseev said this afternoon. In accordance with Russian law, application for the parade was made to the Mayor’s office on May 17, giving the proposed route. Plans were that the parade would end in Lubyanka Square. But Mr. Alekseev said that City Hall had not offered any alternate route for the march, which is contrary to the requirements of current legislation.

Last year Moscow police roughed up and arrested over 20 LGBT activists who defied the ban. Among those arrested was British activist Peter Tatchell.

UPDATE: Luskgov has forced the company that hosts GayRussia.ru to take the site down that word of the ban can't be spread.