Moscow’s gay-bashing Mayor pledges continued intolerance
The Mayor of Moscow has said he will continue to ban gay “propaganda.”
Speaking at an international conference on HIV/AIDS, Mayor Luzhkov said:
“So-called democrats consider that sexual minorities can be the main indicator and main symbol of democracy, but we will in future continue to ban propaganda of the views of sexual minorities.
“Of course, we will be criticised by all democrats in the world but in each society there are own views on that.”
The Mayor implied gays are behind the spread of AIDS in Moscow and said condoms should not be advertised as 100% safe as “contemporary science” proved they are not.
Moscow Pride organisers have been denied the right to hold an event in May for three years running by the Mayor, who previously referred to gay rights marches as “Satanic.”
Activists have tried to have the Mayor prosecuted under Article 149 of the Russian Criminal Code for using his political power to prevent legal public events for the LGBT community in the city.
Pride organisers are planning to hold the event in Moscow next May to coincide with the city’s hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest.
