Police at the St Petersburg Labor Day parade cracked down on LGBTI people, with nineteen arrests made as an LGBTI rights protest was attempted. The Russian city’s legislative assembly allowed a Neo-Nazi group to march in the parade however when the LGBTI rights group ‘Coming Out’ unfurled a Pride flag they were violating the countries ‘gay propaganda’ law. The LGBTI were able to march in the parade and were told by the legislative assembly this was as long as “no rainbow flags or banners were used…for the safety of the other marchers.” The police used force to remove the rainbow flags and umbrellas held by members of the group and activists were dragged towards a police vehicle when they refused to comply.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 5th May 2016 - 11:36am