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Crowds break up gay rights rallies in Georgia
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-̮̮̃-̃ ̾●̮̮̃̾•̃̾ ™Usenet Legends ªºªandɔa®ole
May 17, 2013, 10:08:40 PM5/17/13
to
Police try to stop an Orthodox Christian activist during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi
Police try to stop an Orthodox Christian activist during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi (STRINGER, REUTERS / May 17, 2013)
Related
Photos: Crowds break up gay rights rallies in Georgia, Russia
Gay rights activists look out from a bus as they are evacuated by
police during clashes at an International Day Against Homophobia and
Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in Tbilisi Gay rights activists look out
from a bus as they are evacuated by police during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi
Ads by Google
Margarita Antidze and Liza Dobkina Reuters
2:32 p.m. CDT, May 17, 2013
TBILISI/ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Large crowds of anti-gay
protesters broke up homosexual rights rallies in Georgia and Russia on
Friday, underlining deep hostility in the former Soviet bloc.
Priests and thousands of Georgians pushed their way through police
barriers protecting around 50 people marking International Day Against
Homophobia in a square in capital Tblisi.
Waving banners marked with the slogans "Stop Homosexual Propaganda in
Georgia" and "Not in our city", they forced the small groups of
campaigners to flee in buses.
In the Russian city of St Petersburg, an aggressive, mostly male crowd
threw smoke bombs over police barriers and shouted "Death to Faggots"
and other insults.
A hugely outnumbered band of gay rights campaigners also had to pile
into buses minutes after the start of their rally.
"Stalin would have showed you and exiled all these," a man dressed in
urban camouflage shouted as activists hurried away.
Attitudes towards gay people in Russia and former Soviet states are
largely shaped by repressive Stalin-era policies, when sodomy was
punishable by up to five years in jail.
The resurgent Christian Orthodox Church, which says homosexuality is a
sin, also holds great sway.
"The rally... had a funeral-like atmosphere since homophobic crimes in
Russia are on the rise... by the kind of people who view Jews as
abnormal, blacks as abnormal and gays and lesbians as second-class
citizens," Yuri Gavrikov, head of the Russian LGBT-rights organization
Ravnopravo, or Equal Rights, said.
CHURCH URGES BAN
In Georgia, around 28 people including policemen and journalists,
suffered slight injuries in the clashes, government officials said.
"We won't allow these sick people to hold gay parades in our
country ... It's against our traditions and our morals," said Zhuzhuna
Tavadze, brandishing a bunch of nettles and adding that she was ready
to fight.
Later in the evening, rowdy crowds took to the streets in the capital
of the former Soviet republic, shouting and roughing up anyone they
thought might be homosexual.
Amnesty International called for the perpetrators to be punished,
saying in a statement that impunity for such acts was becoming a
"dangerous trend in Georgia".
The head of Georgia's influential Orthodox Church in the mostly
Christian nation of 4.5 million condemned the violence, but called on
authorities to ban gay-rights rallies.
"We don't approve of violence, but propaganda of this (homosexuality)
must not be allowed. It is a sin," said Patriarch Ilia II.
While support for same-sex marriage and other forms of equality
increases in the West, in Russia and several other former Soviet
states gay people say they are facing increasing discrimination.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993, two years after
the Soviet Union broke up. But the stigma remains strong and much of
the gay community is underground.
A survey by independent pollster Levada last year found that nearly 50
percent of Russians believe homosexuals should be given medical or
psychological treatment.
Gay and lesbian groups in Russia say a recent law banning gay
"propaganda" encourages prejudice.
A 23-year-old man in the southern city of Volgograd was tortured and
killed in May after revealing he was gay during a drinking session.
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi
Police try to stop an Orthodox Christian activist during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi (STRINGER, REUTERS / May 17, 2013)
Related
Photos: Crowds break up gay rights rallies in Georgia, Russia
Gay rights activists look out from a bus as they are evacuated by
police during clashes at an International Day Against Homophobia and
Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in Tbilisi Gay rights activists look out
from a bus as they are evacuated by police during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi
Ads by Google
Margarita Antidze and Liza Dobkina Reuters
2:32 p.m. CDT, May 17, 2013
TBILISI/ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Large crowds of anti-gay
protesters broke up homosexual rights rallies in Georgia and Russia on
Friday, underlining deep hostility in the former Soviet bloc.
Priests and thousands of Georgians pushed their way through police
barriers protecting around 50 people marking International Day Against
Homophobia in a square in capital Tblisi.
Waving banners marked with the slogans "Stop Homosexual Propaganda in
Georgia" and "Not in our city", they forced the small groups of
campaigners to flee in buses.
In the Russian city of St Petersburg, an aggressive, mostly male crowd
threw smoke bombs over police barriers and shouted "Death to Faggots"
and other insults.
A hugely outnumbered band of gay rights campaigners also had to pile
into buses minutes after the start of their rally.
"Stalin would have showed you and exiled all these," a man dressed in
urban camouflage shouted as activists hurried away.
Attitudes towards gay people in Russia and former Soviet states are
largely shaped by repressive Stalin-era policies, when sodomy was
punishable by up to five years in jail.
The resurgent Christian Orthodox Church, which says homosexuality is a
sin, also holds great sway.
"The rally... had a funeral-like atmosphere since homophobic crimes in
Russia are on the rise... by the kind of people who view Jews as
abnormal, blacks as abnormal and gays and lesbians as second-class
citizens," Yuri Gavrikov, head of the Russian LGBT-rights organization
Ravnopravo, or Equal Rights, said.
CHURCH URGES BAN
In Georgia, around 28 people including policemen and journalists,
suffered slight injuries in the clashes, government officials said.
"We won't allow these sick people to hold gay parades in our
country ... It's against our traditions and our morals," said Zhuzhuna
Tavadze, brandishing a bunch of nettles and adding that she was ready
to fight.
Later in the evening, rowdy crowds took to the streets in the capital
of the former Soviet republic, shouting and roughing up anyone they
thought might be homosexual.
Amnesty International called for the perpetrators to be punished,
saying in a statement that impunity for such acts was becoming a
"dangerous trend in Georgia".
The head of Georgia's influential Orthodox Church in the mostly
Christian nation of 4.5 million condemned the violence, but called on
authorities to ban gay-rights rallies.
"We don't approve of violence, but propaganda of this (homosexuality)
must not be allowed. It is a sin," said Patriarch Ilia II.
While support for same-sex marriage and other forms of equality
increases in the West, in Russia and several other former Soviet
states gay people say they are facing increasing discrimination.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993, two years after
the Soviet Union broke up. But the stigma remains strong and much of
the gay community is underground.
A survey by independent pollster Levada last year found that nearly 50
percent of Russians believe homosexuals should be given medical or
psychological treatment.
Gay and lesbian groups in Russia say a recent law banning gay
"propaganda" encourages prejudice.
A 23-year-old man in the southern city of Volgograd was tortured and
killed in May after revealing he was gay during a drinking session.
-̮̮̃-̃ ̾●̮̮̃̾•̃̾ ™Usenet Legends ªºªandɔa®ole
May 17, 2013, 10:10:11 PM5/17/13
to
Police try to stop an Orthodox Christian activist during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi
Police try to stop an Orthodox Christian activist during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia rally in Tbilisi
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi
Police try to stop an Orthodox Christian activist during clashes at an
(STRINGER, REUTERS / May 17, 2013)
Crowds break up gay rights rallies in Georgia, Russia
Gay rights activists look out from a bus as they are evacuated by
police during clashes at an International Day Against Homophobia and
Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in Tbilisi Gay rights activists look out
from a bus as they are evacuated by police during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi
Gay rights activists look out from a bus as they are evacuated by
police during clashes at an International Day Against Homophobia and
Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in Tbilisi Gay rights activists look out
from a bus as they are evacuated by police during clashes at an
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rally in
Tbilisi
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