Protests of Russian Violations of LGBT Human Rights at U.S. Embassy and Consulates

By Cathy Kristofferson, July 31, 2013

Today kicked off Embassy and Consulate protests in the U.S. against Russia’s LGBT human rights violations with actions in New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. We have blogged on the protests as actions people can take to help raise awareness about the worsening conditions for the Russian LGBT community.

In a lunchtime rally outside the Russian Embassy in New York City, RUSA LGBT and QUEER NATION gathered to not only protest Putin’s anti-gay laws but to also #DUMPSTOLI on the city sidewalk!  The two groups had issued a press release the day before outlining their demands:

1) The Russian government repeal the “anti-gay propaganda” law before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

2) A boycott of all Russian products, including Russian vodka. We are calling for all New Yorkers to stop ordering and purchasing Russian made products and demand that their bars and restaurants stop serving Russian products, including Russian vodka.

3) A boycott of the Sochi Winter Olympics, with a suggestion to move the 2014 Games to Vancouver, Canada.

4) Corporate sponsors of the Sochi Olympics withdraw their sponsorship of the Games. Olympic sponsors include: Coca-Cola, Omega Watches, VISA, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Procter & Gamble, Samsung, and Panasonic.

@PamSpees #rusalgbt demanding attention to persecution oppression of #lgbt community in #russia

Ann Northrop of Queer Nation

@PamSpees And there goes the #russianvodka. #lgbt #humanrights

@theCCR CCR’s @PamSpees is at the Russian consulate right now rallying against the persecution of the #LGBT commuity

In Washington, D.C. late this afternoon, folks gathered at the Russian Embassy at a protest called by Spectrum Human Rights.  Spectrum is the petitioner demanding the two Russian officials most responsible for Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law be put on the Magnitsky’s List.  If so listed the two would be denied entry to the USA and US financial institution would freeze their assets worldwide.

Nice concentration camp outfits!

In San Francisco a few folks warmed up the Consulate for the main event coming this Saturday.  Still they were enough to attract federal diplomatic security!

Photo courtesy Christina Ann Marie DiEdoardo

Photo courtesy Christina Ann Marie DiEdoardo

Photo courtesy Christina Ann Marie DiEdoardo

More protests are scheduled for this coming Saturday. We will add updates for protests, petitions, and actions you can take in our “10 Actions You Can Take Against Russia” post as they become available. Feel free to leave updates in the Comments for us if you have them!