Europe’s first transgender MP says she was arrested for holding a sign reading ‘gay is ok’ in Russian at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Former Italian MP Vladimir Luxuria says she was detained for some hours and told she was not allowed to display pro-gay slogans in public. “I think it is important [to have] the opportunity to talk internationally about these things because otherwise these things happen in Russia and nobody knows, nobody cares," the 48-year-old later told supporters. “They think, 'Well, it's not in our country, it's far away, it's in Russia, who cares?'” Officials have denied arresting her, however there are reports arrests at unauthorised rallies are common and overworked officers often don't fill out the paperwork. Luxuria has told Reuters she'll be back out today. “I tell you, if ... I don't have the opportunity to have a flag with 'It's OK to be gay' written on it I will shout it. I know how to say it in Russian.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 18th February 2014 - 9:37am