Protest Part of Global LGBT Solidarity Campaign
By Melanie Nathan, August 02, 2013.
San Francisco, CA — On Saturday, August 3, 2013, at 12:00 pm (noon) San Franciscans will gather at the Russian Consulate at 2790 Green Street (near Baker Street) to protest new anti-gay laws passed in Russia that subject LGBT Russians and foreign nationals to fines, arrests and possible jail time, exacerbating homophobia, violence and the persecution of Russia’s LGBT community.
The protestors stage a picket line and hoist an enormous rainbow flag on a a 20 foot portable flagpole in front of the consulate.
On June 11, 2013, Russia’s Parliament (The Duma) unanimously passed legislation banning “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.”
The new law punishes anyone who equates same-sex relationships between consenting adults with relationships between individuals of the opposite sex. Punitive measures become significantly higher if one promotes the idea of equality through the mass media or the Internet. Foreign nationals charged with this so called “propaganda” are also subject to arrest and punishment, to include jail time.
Oblogdee has reported on the arrests and detentions of Dutch Nationals and we have reported on the call for Boycotts and protests from around the world, to include boycotts of the SOCHI Games in 2014.
These laws make it illegal to discuss LGBT topics in public forums and to offer support to gay minors (under the age of 18). Hate crimes are on the rise in Russia since the laws went into effect, including the Russian public taking their interpretations of the new law into their own hands, such as the kidnapping and torture of a young teen, with apparent impunity. Entrapment and brutal beatings of people perceived as gay have been widely reported.
The August 3 noon action at the Russian Consulate is organized by grassroots LGBT activists from San Francisco, their allies and the Gays Without Borders activist group.
Unfortunately I will not be there as I will be returning from the marriage equality events in Minnesota. Looking forward to seeing the photographs and publishing them worldwide.
10 Actions you can take against Russia | shocking video of Russian Gay Teen torture
By Melanie Nathan, July 26, 2013.
Pic: Anonymous LGBT Legion
Anti-gay sentiment and violence against LGBTI people has been a Russian habit for some time. However in recent months it has escalated with lack of basic law and order, exacerbated by Vladamir Putin’s legislative onslaught through various laws that criminalize and ostracize. We have covered that extensively http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/07/26/10-actions-you-can-take-against-russia-shocking-video-of-russian-gay-teen-torture/
and
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- Russia arrests Dutch tourists on gay propaganda charges (oblogdeeoblogda.me)
http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2013/08/aug-3-at-noon-rainbow-flag-to-fly.html
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Boycott Sochi games. Gay tourists, gay athletes should beware of entrapments a Russian speciality. A Russian Hitler has arisen for the persecution of the gays. Do not trust the IOC assurances, money is their God and Putin delivers the Sochi games.
Act decisively.