Mass arrests at Moscow gay march

Moscow police moved quickly to end a gay pride march on May 27, and prevent a counter demonstration from organizing in the Russian capital. Police said that 200 people were detained by police, including Nikolai Alekseyev, one of the organizers of the pride march. A police spokesperson said that about 120 of those arrested were members of the gay march, the others were part of a counter demonstration. More than 1,000 police officers were put on full alert when Alekseyev and other organizers said they would ignore a court ruling upholding Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's decision not to issue a parade permit. Alekseyev was arrested as he was preparing to lead a group to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the Kremlin. "The rest of us were forced out of Manezhnaya Square by lines of militia and police," said British gay rights leader Peter Tatchell who had gone to Moscow to join the march. "Some individual protesters were surrounded, abused and attacked by gangs of fascists. "Most of us reassembled on the edge of Manezhnaya Square. Groups of roaming neo-Nazis stormed around the square looks for gays and lesbians to attack. We had to look inconspicuous to avoid being beaten. "Then, some of the fascists threw tear gas canisters and formed a line with the police to block our exit from Manezhnaya Square. A group of about 15 of us assembled and left by a different exit." Earlier in the day Alexeyev told the Interfax news agency that "the laying of flowers at the Tomb should serve as a response "to the fascist politics provoked by some injudicious remarks by public officials." While police were arresting the gay marchers other officers were rounding up skinheads, members of a far right political group and supporters of the Russian Orthodox Church who were gathering not far away to form a counter-protest. As police moved in the counter protesters began chanting "Sodom Won't Pass Here!" The gay pride march was to have been part of an international LGBT conference being held in Moscow. Gay rights leaders from throughout Europe were attending the conference. It is not known if any foreign nationals were arrested. As a Green member of Germany's Bundestag, Volker Beck, was giving an interview before TV cameras, about 20 nationalist youths surrounded him and pummeled him, bloodying his nose. Volker Eichler, a gay activist from Berlin who witnessed the beating, told the Associated Press that police did not intervene. Moscow is the only major world capital not to have a pride parade. In denying the parade permit Luzhkov said he was concerned about potential violence. But on Russian Radio on May 26 he cited moral reasons for the ban. "I believe that such a parade is inadmissible in our country above all for moral considerations. People should not make public their deviations," he said. Conservative, Russian Orthodox and Muslim leaders have led a pressure campaign against the march. Russian Patriarch Alexy II denounced the festival and parade, and the leader of Russia's Muslims has called for a "violent mass protest" if gay leaders go ahead with Pride celebrations. Earlier this month police had to form a human chain to hold back more than 150 skinheads and Russian Orthodox Church supporters from rushing a gay event at a Moscow club. The club was to have held a party and rally in support of the pride celebrations. Skinheads hurled tomatoes and plastic bottles at the gays while members of the Church held religious icons and prayed. One gay man was reportedly beaten unconscious.