Moscow Pride
Moscow Pride (
Moscow Pride 2006
The 2006 Moscow Pride was banned by the authorities. The Moscow Mayor's chief of security, Nikolai Kulikov, stated in an interview on
On May 27, several dozen Russian
Russian
Moscow Pride 2007
The 2007 Moscow Pride was held on May 27. Its press conference and protest in front of the City Hall was attended by several high-profile supporters, including Marco Cappato, Vladimir Luxuria, Peter Tatchell, Volker Beck, Richard Fairbrass of Right Said Fred and the pop duo t.A.T.u. It degenerated into violent clashes with anti-gay extremists. For the second time police failed to protect gay rights activists. Italian MP Marco Cappato was kicked by an anti-gay activist and then detained when he demanded police protection. British gay rights veteran Peter Tatchell and Russian gay leader Nikolai Alekseev were detained as well.[8][9] Tatchell and Beck were punched in the face by protesters.[10] According to Tatchell: "The police were standing nearby and did nothing. Eventually they moved in. I was arrested while my attackers were allowed to go free."[10] Between eight and ten protesters were arrested for participating in the rally.[10]
Condemnation of the authorities' handling of the parade came from all over Europe. Mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni said: "What happened in Moscow, leaves you speechless: to use or even tolerate violence against those who are demonstrating in a peaceful manner for the recognition of their human and civil rights is a sad sign."[10] Bertrand Delanoë, the Mayor of Paris, also condemned it.
The Pride was the central event in Jochen Hick's 2008 documentary film East/West - Sex & Politics, which follows the organisation of the Pride and the authorities' suppression of it.[11]
Moscow Pride 2008
Organizers applied for five marches in different locations per every day in May, but Moscow Mayor banned all the 155 events saying that "they will endanger public order and cause negative reaction of the majority of the population". President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, phoned the Prefecture of the Central Administrative area of Moscow and told him to authorise the gay demonstration, nevertheless, authorization was refused.[12] Organizers introduced the ban of all marches to the European Court of Human Rights after they lost in Russian courts. The event took place on Sunday June,1 in two locations : First, a flashmob protest which gathered around thirty LGBT activists led by Nikolai Alekseev in front of the Statue of famous Russian music composer Tchaikovsky and second they unveiled a banner quoting "Rights to Gays and Lesbians. Homophobia of Mayor Luzhkov should be prosecuted" from the third floor of a building in front of the Moscow City Hall.[13][14] The trick of the activists worked. While they were able to have their flashmob protest without being assaulted or arrested in a different location, they symbolically made their protest in front of the City Hall and avoid clashes with protesters as they were not on the ground.
Moscow Pride 2009 hosted the first Slavic Pride
The 2009 edition of Moscow Pride took place on May 16, 2009, the same day as the finale of the
Ultimately, the parade was denied authorization by Moscow officials, but Nikolai Alekseev praised the decision, considering the parade a risk that must be taken, "otherwise the homophobes and authoritarians will win".[17] Moscow officials had issued statements regarding this matter, stating that protesters would be treated "toughly"[18] and would face "tough measures" by the police department.[17] The protest was originally announced as taking place at Novopushkinsky Skver in central Moscow, but organizers changed the location at the last moment to the Vorobyovy Gory viewpoint near Moscow State University, a popular spot for wedding photographs to avoid queer-bashing attacks as in previous years.
The demonstration was under the motto "Gay Equality - No compromise"; postulating the recognitition of
Some EU Embassies (UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Finland) which had been invited by the organizers to monitor the events on the spot, concluded that they did not find any ground to make a diplomatic actions. The activists commented it: "It shows that it is easier to act for the EU Embassies in smaller countries such as Latvia where several EU Embassies brought support but when it turns to be in Russia, things are different."
According to the established case law of the European Court of Human Rights, peaceful demonstrations cannot be banned simply because of the existence of attitudes hostile to the demonstrators or to the causes they advocate. The fact that this is not the first year such a situation has developed is of concern to the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.[23]
Nikolai Alekseev had written earlier to the Prime Minister of Slovenia in April 2009 asking him to take the issues with the Russian authorities.
Moscow Pride 2010
The 2010 Moscow Pride took place on May 29, 2010. Not unexpectedly, the Moscow Pride was banned the fifth successive year. The Gayrussia group appealed unsuccessfully the decision in court before the March.[24] The organizers turned to foreign Embassies for political support like it has been the case in 2010 in Vilnius and Bucharest. "We turned to ambassadors of the EU states and ambassadors of Canada, the USA and Australia in Moscow with a request to hold a public action in the territory of the embassy," Mr. Alekseev said.[25][26][27]
A press conference took place on May 27, speakers at the conference will be Nikolai Alekseev, Nikolai Baev, Volker Beck (First Whip of the Green Party in German Bundestag), Peter Tatchell, Louis-Georges Tin (President of the IDAHO Committee), Maria Efremenkova (Chairman Organizing Committee of St. Petersburg Gay Pride) and Andy Thayer (Gay Liberation Network Chicago).[28]
Slavic Pride 2010
Activists from Russia and Belarus organized the second Slavic Pride in Minsk, Belarus on May 15, 2010.[29][30][31][32]
Moscow Pride 2011
Activists saw hope for a successful 6th Annual Moscow Pride parade. In 2010, the
Moscow Pride's organizer Nikolay Alexeyev held the event as planned. The parade lasted only a few minutes before an ultra-Eastern Orthodox protest group attacked the parade. Moscow police arrest over 30 participants, including three prominent gay rights activists: Americans Dan Choi and Andy Thayer; and France's Louis-George Tin.[33]
Views of Yuri Luzhkov
At an international AIDS conference in Moscow in 2008 Luzhkov said he would persist in banning gay pride parades in order to prevent the spread of
We have banned and will continue to forbid this propaganda by sexual minorities, as they could turn out to be one of the factors in the spread of HIV infections [...] Certain homegrown democrats believe that sexual minorities can be a primary indicator and symbol of democracy, but we will forbid the dissemination of these opinions in the future as well.[37]
Luzhkov's stance has received support from various religious groups, including the Russian Orthodox Church, Chief Rabbi
Views of the Activists
Rights granted by the Russian Constitution
The Activists refer to their Constitutional / Civil Right of
Verdict done by the Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights
After a gay pride in
Organizers of the gay pride in Moscow are sure that there will be a positive decision by the European Court of Human Rights. Up to now, there are 175 cases pending at the European Court of Human Rights. On September 17, the European Court of Human Rights has given Russia until January 20, 2010, to answer the bans of the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Moscow Pride marches and pickets. Later, at the request of Russian authorities, this deadline was extended until February 20. The Memorandum of the Russian authorities insists that all public activities of the prides were banned in full compliance with the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The Memorandum indicated that the Moscow authorities were not able to guarantee the safety of the participants declared public events in connection with the fact that they had the opposition of the majority of the population. Also, the Memorandum referred to several decisions of the European Court of Justice relating to the limitation of the right to freedom of expression on the grounds of violating "public morality", taken in the 1970s and 1980s.[41][42][43]
In their application to the European Court of Human Rights the claimants insist that the ban of the picketing on June 27, 2007, and its further confirmation in Russian courts, breached a number of Articles of the European Convention, including Article 11 (right to freedom of assembly), Article 14 (ban on discrimination) in conjunction with Article 11 and Article 13 (right to court protection).
On October 21, 2010, the European Court of Human Rights issued its verdict. The unanimous decision says that there had been a violation of the articles 11, 13 and 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights. The Court stressed that if the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly and association by a minority group were conditional on its acceptance by the majority, that would be incompatible with the values of the Convention. The Court held that Russia was to pay to Nikolai Alekseev 12,000 EUR in respect of non-pecuniary damage and 17,510 EUR for costs and expenses.[44]
Strategy of Visibility
The Moscow Pride gave the activists a wide access to mass media or even massive media coverage. Andy Thayer, of the Gay Liberation Network Chicago, spoke out both before and after the Moscow Pride 2009 event:
The aim is to cause maximum embarrassment to the government if they attempt to arrest us or allow the neo-fascists to attack.[45]
After a sentence or two praising the courage of Russian and Belarusian LGBT activists, I began speaking about how the police attack on gay and lesbian rights should be a concern of all Russians as it was an attack on their democratic freedoms. At just that point the OMOH cops grabbed and dragged me away, making my point much more effectively than any words I could have uttered.
The 4th annual gay Pride in Moscow was an unqualified success, with the political points of its organizers broadcast around the world, which can only serve to help isolate the anti-gay regime.[46]
Peter Tatchell spoke about the aims of media visibility:
The Russian media has been full of reports about gay issues for the last week. This has hugely increased public awareness and understanding of gay people. Slowly, we are eroding homophobic attitudes. Through this media visibility, we are helping to normalise queer existence. After our successive gay protests in Moscow since 2006, people are less shocked about homosexuality. We have a long way to go, but gradually we are winning hearts and minds, especially among younger Russians. (...) The same has been true all throughout history. It has been direct action by radical campaigners like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. that has most dramatically and effectively overturned injustice. By adapting their tactics, the Slavic Pride coordinators ran rings around the Russian and Moscow authorities and put them on the defensive. (...) All in all, it was a PR disaster for the Russian and Moscow authorities, ensuring that Eurovision 2009 will be forever associated with police brutality, government homophobia and the suppression of a peaceful protest.[47]
Possible consequences of ‘quiet lobbying’ instead was commented by Nikolai Baev in July 2009:
In
Lithuanian Seimas passed a Bill banning any discussions on homosexuality in schools and making illegal any "gay propaganda" in the media. Moreover, most of Lithuanian deputies on Tuesday annulled the presidential veto. (...) Also this week, the Ukrainian Culture Ministry banned the movie Brüno because of its "homosexual propaganda". (...) Latvia and Poland are no less homophobic societies than Lithuania, Ukraine and Russia. But already in early 2000s Latvian and Polish gay activists have chosen absolutely different strategy of LGBT visibility. First in Poland, then in Latvia, Gay Pride Parades were organised – the strongest and the most efficient gay events, both in media and in politics. Latvian and Polish activists had mounted a very hard legal and political battle against homophobic bans by local courts and authorities. Now Gay Pride Parades are held in Riga, Warsaw and Kraków. At the same time neither in Latvia nor in Poland have been passed such shameful laws introducing homophobic censorship like Lithuanian parliament did.[48]
See also
- Nikolai Alekseev
- LGBT rights in Russia
- LGBT rights in Belarus
- Recognition of same-sex unions in Russia
- Bączkowski v Poland
- Moscow Pride '06 (film)
- LGBT Human Rights Project Gayrussia.ru
- Olympic protests of Russian anti-gay laws
References
- ^ a b c "www.moscowpride.ru/". www.moscowpride.ru/. Archived from the original on 2010-10-31. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ a b c d "www.gayrussia.ru/". www.gayrussia.ru/. Archived from the original on 2001-01-26. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ Clemons, Steve (8 June 2012). "Not The Onion: Moscow Bans Gay Pride for Next 100 years". The Atlantic. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
- ^ "Polska z Rosją i Katarem chce utrudnić prawną ochronę marszów równości". oko.press. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
- ^ Tatchell, Peter (2006-05-24). "Guardian". London. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- Human Rights News. June 2, 2006. Archived from the originalon 3 November 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "San Francisco Bay Times". Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Arrests at Russian gay protests". BBC News. May 27, 2007. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ Eggs and punches at Russia gay march by Mike Levy, BBC News, May 27, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Aussie Bashed at Gay Protest". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2007-05-28. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ "East/West - Sex and Politics". Frameline. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ "Russian President intervenes over Moscow Pride". Archived from the original on 12 December 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
- ^ YouTube footage of 2008 Moscow Pride
- ^ "Third Moscow Gay Pride to Take Place on 1 June". gayrussia.ru. 2008-05-30. Archived from the original on 2008-06-02. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
- ^ a b "Slavic Gay Pride' to be held in Moscow on Eurovision finals day". mosnews.com. March 30, 2009. Archived from the original on May 18, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
- ^ Leonard, Peter (May 5, 2009). "Russian gays risk Eurovision confrontation". The Independent. London. Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
- ^ a b "UK rights activists defends banned Moscow Gay Pride parade". mosnews.com. May 12, 2009. Archived from the original on May 18, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
- ^ "Eurovision: is the world's campest contest ready to get serious?". Lesbilicious. May 11, 2009. Archived from the original on November 28, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
- ^ "Gay protest broken up in Moscow". BBC News. May 16, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-16.
- ^ "Police Forcefully Break Up Gay Rights Protest". gayrussia.ru. 2009-05-19. Archived from the original on 2009-05-26. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
- ^ "Police Forcefully Break Up Gay Rights Protest". Archived from the original on 2009-05-26. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
- ^ Kamenev, Mariana (May 18, 2009). "Russia to Gays: Get Back into the Closet". Time. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ "Slovenia Expresses Concern Over Moscow Gay Pride Parade". 17 May 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ gayrussia.ru. "Moscow Gay Pride Banned by Mayor's Office for Fifth Consecutive Year". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ gayrussia.ru. "Embassy of EU country may host Moscow gay pride parade this year, its organizer claims". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ^ "Moscow Bans Gay Pride Parade for Fifth Year in a Row". Retrieved 18 June 2010.
- ^ "Third Moscow Gay Pride to Take Place on 1 June". Archived from the original on 1 June 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
- ^ gayrussia.ru. "Press conference of the Moscow Gay Pride takes place on May 27". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ "Moscow Pride '10 : May 27–29, 2009". Archived from the original on 2010-05-18. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
- ^ "Riot Police Break Up Pride Events in Minsk". Retrieved 15 May 2010.
- ^ "Belarus bans gay pride, police beat defiant marchers". Archived from the original on 2010-06-10. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
- ^ "Blogging from Belarus and Slavic Gay Pride marchers". Archived from the original on 18 May 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
- ^ "Dozens arrested in Moscow gay rights parade clashes". CNN. 28 May 2011.
- ^ a b c "Moscow bans 'satanic' gay parade". BBC News. 2007-01-29. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ "Sidney Morning Herald". Smh.com.au. 2007-01-30. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ "San Francisco Bay Times". Sfbaytimes.com. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ "365gay.com". 365gay.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ Catholic Online. "Catholic Online". Catholic.org. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ "CASE OF BĄCZKOWSKI AND OTHERS v. POLAND, Verdict". Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Warsaw 2010 : The first EuroPride in Eastern Europe". Europride Committee. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
- ^ "European Court of Human Rights Gives Russia Four Months to Answer Moscow Gay Prides Bans". Archived from the original on 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
- ^ "ECHR Search portal communicated cases". Retrieved 2009-10-08.
- ^ "text of the Memorandum Russian authorities in Russian". Retrieved 2010-03-02.
- ^ ECHR. "judgement done by the ECHR" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
- ^ "Gay Pride in Moscow: Report from Andy Thayer, a Chicago Activist". 14 May 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Behind the Scenes – Story Of 2009 Gay Pride in Moscow by Andy Thayer". 18 May 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Slavic Pride: Thank You Mayor Luzhkov by Peter Tatchell". 19 May 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Activism from 'Inside the Closer' Can be Disastrous for Gay Movement". Retrieved 22 July 2009.[permanent dead link]
External links
- Homepage of the Moscow Pride (in English and Russian)
- LGBT Human Rights Project gayrussia.ru, organizer of the Moscow Pride (in English and Russian)
- Peter Tatchell speaks out after his violent Moscow assault in 2007
- Peter Tatchell speaks out after the break-up of the Pride in 2009
- YouTube Video about the Moscow Pride in 2008
- YouTube Video: Slavic Gay Pride in Moscow - Славянский гей-прайд в Москве
- Pride Photography Images of Slavic Pride '10 in Minsk, Belarus