Arrests at Moscow Pride in Russia - more details
From what I managed to piece together from all the reports in Russian that I read, the police just arrested everybody who was wearing or carrying anything rainbow-coloured or a pink triangle button badge*, or was at the place of the unauthorized Pride event talking to the journalists, or carried a sign with anything written on it. Some "Christian activists" and "football fans" who were there to counter-protest managed to attack the Pride activists and start physical fights with them before the police interfered.
I don't know yet what happened for those who were arrested.
The "Church Banner Bearers" (I don't know how to better translate or explain their organization's name in English), who are already notorious for disrupting Pride events, got a very lenient treatment from the police - they were just asked to leave, so they went to the nearest church to pray (1:40-1:58) in the video. The police didn't arrest the Christian women in the kerchiefs either. The male Christian counter-protester who spoke to the journalists without holding a sign or anything got arrested too at 3:21.
You can see some "Christian activists" pestering the Pride participants at about 2:20 and telling them that "God hates sin". The guy in the blue T-shirt got sprinkled with holy water at about 2:50. Then things got really rude at 3:30 when a lesbian activist tried to speak, and one of the male counter-protesters tore the shoulder strap of her dress.
It is just obvious in the videos and photos that some of the activists are already used to getting arrested, and don't seem to think much of it.
Finally a report in English (the video inside is the same as above): http://www.xtra.ca/blog/national/post/2012/05/27/Violence-arrests-break-up-Moscow-Pride-march-attempt.aspx
Radio Liberty's report in Russian with a photo gallery and a similar video: The sexual minorities: from the Moscow City Council to the police vans. PHOTOS.
Some highlights form that gallery:
This woman identified as heterosexual, but came to support the LGBT cause, according to Radio Liberty. I don't know if she was testing the boundaries with those fiber pens, or didn't have anything else rainbow-coloured or what.
Lesbian activist Elena Kostyuchenko in the police van.
The God-Fearing Christian women. The white T-shirt on the guy with them says "I'm against AIDS, drugs and faggots". I don't know if he identified as a Christian, or something else.
UPDATE: Here is the Washington Post report: Moscow police detain 40 as gay activists demand right to hold parade, face Christian protest
I don't know yet what happened for those who were arrested.
The "Church Banner Bearers" (I don't know how to better translate or explain their organization's name in English), who are already notorious for disrupting Pride events, got a very lenient treatment from the police - they were just asked to leave, so they went to the nearest church to pray (1:40-1:58) in the video. The police didn't arrest the Christian women in the kerchiefs either. The male Christian counter-protester who spoke to the journalists without holding a sign or anything got arrested too at 3:21.
You can see some "Christian activists" pestering the Pride participants at about 2:20 and telling them that "God hates sin". The guy in the blue T-shirt got sprinkled with holy water at about 2:50. Then things got really rude at 3:30 when a lesbian activist tried to speak, and one of the male counter-protesters tore the shoulder strap of her dress.
It is just obvious in the videos and photos that some of the activists are already used to getting arrested, and don't seem to think much of it.
Click to viewFinally a report in English (the video inside is the same as above): http://www.xtra.ca/blog/national/post/2012/05/27/Violence-arrests-break-up-Moscow-Pride-march-attempt.aspx
Radio Liberty's report in Russian with a photo gallery and a similar video: The sexual minorities: from the Moscow City Council to the police vans. PHOTOS.
Some highlights form that gallery:
This woman identified as heterosexual, but came to support the LGBT cause, according to Radio Liberty. I don't know if she was testing the boundaries with those fiber pens, or didn't have anything else rainbow-coloured or what.
Lesbian activist Elena Kostyuchenko in the police van.
The God-Fearing Christian women. The white T-shirt on the guy with them says "I'm against AIDS, drugs and faggots". I don't know if he identified as a Christian, or something else.
UPDATE: Here is the Washington Post report: Moscow police detain 40 as gay activists demand right to hold parade, face Christian protest