Moscow Pride banned for a tenth year in a row

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

Moscow Pride parade is continuing its annual tradition of being banned by Russian authorities.

Campaigners in the country file a request every single year to hold the parade, only for it to be blocked from going ahead.

The Pride parade – which has not actually been granted permission to go ahead since 2006 – was set to take place on May 30 this year.

However, the event has been banned from going ahead for a tenth year in a row – to a distinct lack of surprise from the country’s LGBT activists.

Pride parades are not technically illegal in Russia, but the country’s ‘gay propaganda’ law makes it an offence to promote “non-traditional sexual relationships” to minors – which has been used to clamp down on all LGBT activism.

Spokesman Alexey Mayorov said: “We have warned the organisers that the demonstration will not be authorised.”

However, rights activist Nikolay Alexeyev was characteristically undeterred, saying: “We will nonetheless hold some kind of action on May 30, even if the venue is not yet decided.”

Mr Alexeyev has been arrested, beaten and attacked a number of times in his years organising the parade.

The annual Pride parade has in the past gone ahead without permission, becoming a scene of violent conflict between protesters and the police.

Two people were arrested for taking part in the parade last year, while five people were arrested and hauled into the back of a van by police at 2013’s Pride rally.

Around 100 people typically take part in the event each year.

 

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