Moscow gays trick police, stage two pride actions
Faced with Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's ban on gay pride activities for the third year in a row, about 35 Moscow activists misled police into going to the wrong location and then successfully staged two surprise actions May 31.
As city police and riot police blockaded City Hall, activists pulled off a demonstration nearby at the Tchaikovsky statue outside the Moscow Conservatory.
They unfurled a banner and flags, spoke with trusted journalists who had accompanied them to the location, and chanted, 'Tchaikovsky was also gay,' 'No to homophobes' and 'Equal rights for LGBT.'
The 12:45 p.m. action lasted about 15 minutes, after which the group staged a brief march down the street, then dispersed before police could arrive.
At 1:15 p.m., a second action began across the street from City Hall, where activists blockaded themselves inside a third-floor apartment and draped a large banner above the street that read, 'Rights for gays and lesbians—homophobia of Moscow mayor should be prosecuted.' They also released 250 balloons from the apartment's windows.
Anti-gay protesters threw garbage and eggs at the apartment balcony and at least 36 of them were arrested, police told Interfax.
At about 1:45 p.m., police began threatening to break down the door to the apartment.
Nearly eight hours later, they forced the door open and arrested four people inside, charging them with taking part in an unsanctioned demonstration and disobeying a police order.
'Breaking the door was an illegal action as the police did not carry an order signed by the court,' said head pride organizer Nikolai Alekseev. 'This was a violation of private property.'
The four individuals were held overnight, taken to court, then released. If found guilty when the case resumes, the activists likely will be fined.
'We wanted to make this pride different from the last two years,' Alekseev told the Moscow Times. 'We didn't want to have any more beatings in the street. We just want to show everyone that we are normal people.
'Today we showed that we are not only a force for gays but a political force and won't compromise on our rights.'
There are videos of the actions at youtube.com/nicklava2008.
Argentine gov't seeks to legalize same-sex marriage
A bill legalizing same-sex marriage was informally presented to Argentina's Congress May 22 by the head of the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism.
'The Casa Rosada ( presidential palace ) tells us we should do our work, and that's what we're doing,' María José Lubertino told La Nación newspaper. 'When I took this job, everyone knew that two of my priorities were the legislation on abortion and marriage for everyone. This is no surprise.'
The draft bill—unveiled at a gathering of activists, legislators and others in the Senate's Eva Perón Hall—moves next to the Ministry of Justice, Security and Human Rights, which will arrange for it to be formally introduced into Congress by the executive branch.
If allowed to marry, same-sex couples would acquire new rights in areas such as adoption, inheritance, property, social security and pensions.
Russia lifts ban on gay blood donation
Russia's health ministry has lifted the nation's ban on blood donation by gay men.
The change was implemented in April but only became known publicly in late May.
The decree by Minister of Health and Social Development Tatyana Golikova overturned a policy that had been in effect since September 2001.
Similar bans targeting prostitutes and drug addicts also were lifted.
'We conducted our campaign against the ban for two years and it brought the results,' said leading gay activist Nikolai Alekseev. 'Not so many people believed in our success but we proved that actions can lead to serious results.
'Russia will become an example in this respect for other countries, including Western democracies, where such restrictions are still in force.'
Alekseev said the ban was 'the last direct discriminatory provision against homosexual people' in Russia.
Authorities in numerous nations have justified keeping such bans by citing the brief period between when one gets infected with HIV and when the virus can be detected.
However, many of these nations, including the U.S. and Canada, incongruously continue to ban blood donation by any man who ever had sex with another man, even if only one time 30 years ago.
Millions at São Paulo pride
More than 3 million people turned out for the 12th gay pride parade in São Paulo, Brazil, on May 25.
The city's pride celebration is the world's largest, in South America's biggest city.
The parade went down Avenida Paulista, the heart of the financial district.
Reports said pride generates $115 million in spending, creates 13,500 jobs and brings in 330,000 visitors.
—Assistance: Bill Kelley
