Gays Protest Putin’s Homophobic Laws at U.S. Olympic Committee SOCHI Launch

Photo by Scott Wooledge

Photo by Scott Wooledge

New York, NY (October 29, 2013) — Two dozen members of Queer Nation interrupted the smooth flow of the opening event of the US Olympic Committee’s Road to Sochi tour, which launched in Times Square today.

As the Road to Sochi event began at 12:00 pm with a press conference featuring Olympic and Paralympic athletes, Queer Nation unfurled banners that read “Don’t Buy Putin’s Lies!” and “Boycott Homophobia” just yards from the press conference stage and chanted “USOC Out of Sochi” and “Olympics Out of Russia” for roughly 30 minutes.
The Road to Sochi tour launches a 100-day countdown to the start of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

In June, the Russian government enacted legislation that effectively bans any pro-LGBT statement in public or private and on the Internet. In July, a law banning adoptions of Russian children by people from any jurisdiction that allows same sex marriage took effect. Activists have called for the Games to moved from Russia, citing its abysmal human rights record, including its attacks on LGBT Russians.

“The USOC and the international community should not legitimize Russia’s violations of fundamental human rights by holding the Games in that country,” said Duncan Osborne, a member of Queer Nation, an LGBT rights groups. “Russia has placed itself well outside the bounds of global human rights standards and no international event should be held there.”

The protest is the latest in a series of high profile protests launched by Queer Nation that included an October 28 confrontation with Moscow government officials at a meeting promoting US investment in Russia held at the Princeton Club in Manhattan and protests against Putin supporters conductor Valery Gergiev and soprano Anna Netrebko at Carnegie Hall on October 10 and the Metropolitan Opera’s Opening Night Gala on September 23.

Queer Nation is a direct action group dedicated to ending discrimination, violence and repression against the LGBT community. Website: www.queernationny.org. Twitter: @QueerNationNY. Facebook.com/qn.newyork.

http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/10/28/queer-nation-disrupts-russian-government-officials-at-investment-forum/

San Francisco:

Vigil for LGBT Russia Greets San Francisco Opera Opening

by on September 7, 2013 in Entertainment, EVENTS, FASHION, LGBT, MEDIA, NEWS, Russia, WORLD { Edit }

See Video Below | Highlights from San Francisco Opera’s production of Mephistopheles By Melanie Nathan, September 07, 2013. San Francisco Opera’s 91st season opened last night, with a performance of Arrigo Boito’s Mephistopheles, described as “one of the most impressive productions ever seen at the War Memorial Opera House”. And what made it more impressive […]

Opera Couple Patricia Racette and Beth Clayton to Support LGBT Vigil for Russia

by on September 5, 2013

Press Release: Contact Melanie Nathan: Dated: September 05, 2013. https://www.facebook.com/events/433652160084761/ Tomorrow night, Friday, September 6 at 7:00 pm, the coalition, including members of Gays Without Borders, BoycottRussianVodka.com and PCI-Justice, will stage an informational vigil, outside the San Francisco Opera’s gala opening night at the War Memorial Opera House, located at Van Ness and Grove.  […]

Vigil to be held at San Francisco Opera Opening for solidarity with Russian Gays

by on September 4, 2013

By Melanie Nathan, September 04, 2013. A group of LGBT activists will stage an informational vigil including members of Gays Without Borders, BoycottRussianVodka.com will be holding a fun informational vigil on Friday, September 6 at 7:00 pm outside the San Francisco Opera’s gala opening night at the War Memorial Opera House, located at Van Ness […]

 

Russian Consul Lambasted for anti-gay laws by Seattle Mayor and City Council

by on October 21, 2013

Seattle Mayor and City Council take Strong Stand for LGBT Rights against Russian Consul while inviting him to get educated By Melanie Nathan, October 21, 2013. An unanimous City Council of Seattle sent a letter to Russian Consul General, Andry Yushmanov joining Mayor Mike McGinn in condemning Russia’s anti-gay laws, inviting the Russian Consul to […]

 

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3 Comments on “Gays Protest Putin’s Homophobic Laws at U.S. Olympic Committee SOCHI Launch”

  1. Dr. Rex October 29, 2013 at 8:06 PM #

    Well done!! Reblog: http://hrexach.wordpress.com/

  2. Dr. Rex October 29, 2013 at 8:06 PM #

    Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
    Don’t stand for it!!! Protest!!

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. 10 Actions you can take against Russia | shocking video of Russian Gay Teen torture | O-blog-dee-o-blog-da - December 29, 2013

    […] Gays Protest Putin’s Homophobic Laws at U.S. Olympic Committee SOCHI Launch […]

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