Moscow: Russian police say they detained dozens
of anti-gay protesters and gay rights activists during a gay
pride rally in central Moscow.
Today's protest was one of the few gay rights events
sanctioned by authorities. In recent years, several attempts
to hold gay pride marches in Moscow and other Russian cities
have been blocked by police, Russian Orthodox Church activists
and soccer fans.
Moscow police spokesman Anatoly Lastovetsky said 40 people
were detained today.
He told agency that police were "finding out
whether (the detained) were part of the rally or the people
who tried to thwart it."
During the rally, several men were seen trying to pelt the
protesters with tomatoes and unfurling posters with pejorative
remarks about homosexuality.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, October 01, 2011, 21:49