“Stephen Fry has called on athletes … to make a symbol at the Games to display their objection to new anti-gay laws.”
By Cathy Kristofferson, August 10, 2013
Photo courtesy MissCairo Mascara
Today’s “UK Supports LGBT Russia” protest in London against Russia’s anti-gay laws and rising homophobia drew an early estimate of 1,100 attending the over 3 hour event. The protest, originally set for the Russian embassy, was moved earlier in the week to handle the expected capacity as demand increased. London’s Whitehall, the center of British government, became the protest site conveniently located around the corner from Prime Minister David Cameron’s residence at 10 Downing Street.
Photo courtesy Gaydar – @stephenfry at the London protests against #LGBT human rights abuses in #Russia
In pure British fashion, the protests were described as “dignified and unified” and “overly gentlemanly” by Twitter and Facebook attendees.
Protest signs had slogans such as “Love Russia, Hate Homophobia”, “Equal rights for LGBT Russians. NOW” and “Love is a Human Right.”
The protest attracted well known out gay activists like Stephen Fry and Peter Tatchell. Tachell had written on his website ”Putin is the ‘Czar of Homophobia’,” before heading down to the protest.
The BBC is reporting that at the protest Fry called on athletes at Sochi to show solidarity with Russian LGBTs:
“Stephen Fry has called on athletes competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia to make a symbol at the Games to display their objection to new anti-gay laws.
The broadcaster accepted that it was unlikely that the Games would be boycotted or moved from Russia, but hoped athlete protests would show solidarity with campaigners and “take the sweetness of victory out of Putin’s mouth”.”
The protest has now ended. We will update the pics and vidoes below as they come in.
PUBLISHERS NOTE:
Melanie Nathan In the U.S. A. we tend to think signing a petition is enough, or allowing the same handful of ten street activists showing up at tiny boycott events are sufficient. What happened to real outrage? Where is HRC on this. Why does our leadership – the ones with the big salaries and budgets not organize REAL protests. Where is HRC? Where is immigration Equality? The Task Force, et al….
Melanie Nathan Last week a handful of us in San Francisco managed to get a press conference on the streets of San Francisco, outside City Hall. we had the local evening TV News, Press in Australia, China and USA all responde with articles about the issue of vodka boycotts. And we did it with a few of us – no budget- pro bono- hours of our own time- sending each other emails over the period of a few days. WHERE are the Big talkers and the big moneymakers? The GWM’s who take over national TV for their few seconds of pretending they are leaders? Or does their leadership only apply to US marriage centric issues. HRC should be organizing a massive street protest in DC at Consuls, with the 83 REPS who signed the Bipartisan letter there! HRC should contact the Task Force and Immigration equality and they should put something together. WAKE UP America!!!!
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Pics from the protest:
Photo courtesy Nick Crook
Photo courtesy ticktockaway
Photo courtesy Paul McMichael
“The stewards are on site, fully briefed and ready for YOU! — at 10 Downing Street.” Courtesy Adam Betteridge
Photo courtesy Nick Tcherniak
Photo courtesy Ian Johns
Photo courtesy Oggy Oggy Oggy
Photo courtesy David Salazar Gorosarri
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More Russia OBLOGDEE coverage here:
President Obama Condemns Russia’s Anti-Gay laws
by Melanie Nathan on August 6, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, Boycotts, CULTURE, EVENTS, LGBT, MEDIA, NEWS, Russia, WORLD
Ask IOL to move the Olympics from Sochi. By Melanie Nathan, August 07, 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama today criticized a new Russian law cracking down on gay rights activism, saying he has “no patience for countries that try to treat gays and lesbians and transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful […]
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San Francisco LGBT community calls on Mayor Ed Lee to Boycott Russia
by Melanie Nathan on August 6, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, EVENTS, Law, LGBT, MEDIA, NEWS, Rally, Russia, TOURISM, WORLD
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Gay teenager kidnapped and tortured by Russian homophobes believed to have died from injuries
by Melanie Nathan on August 5, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, CRIME, EVENTS, LGBT, NEWS, Rally, Russia, U.S.A., WORLD
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HRC Leading U.S. Gays in failing to take the ultimate stand against Russia’s anti-Gay laws
by Melanie Nathan on August 5, 2013 in POLITICAL VIEWS, LGBT, NEWS, WORLD, Russia, SPORTS, EVENTS, Sport, Olympics, Advocacy & Activism, Boycotts
“The contradiction glares when HRC asks the IOC to ensure “special treatment’ for American athletes and visitors. I find it unconscionable of HRC not to be taking the ultimate stand for a BOYCOTT of the Olympic SOCHI Games in Russia and using their immense power and membership to demand that IOC move the games out […]
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U.S. House Reps send Letter to Kerry about Anti-Gay 2014 Olympic Games in Russia
by Melanie Nathan on August 2, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, NEWS, Olympics, Russia, SPORTS, WORLD
Rep. Nadler Leads Bipartisan Letter to Protect LGBT Rights at 2014 Olympic Games in Russia By Melanie Nathan, August 2, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, lead a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State John Kerry regarding the protection […]
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Gays to Fly Rainbow Flag Outside Russian Consulate in San Francisco
by Melanie Nathan on August 2, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, EVENTS, LGBT, NEWS, Rally, Russia, WORLD
Protest Part of Global LGBT Solidarity Campaign By Melanie Nathan, August 02, 2013. San Francisco, CA — On Saturday, August 3, 2013, at 12:00 pm (noon) San Franciscans will gather at the Russian Consulate at 2790 Green Street (near Baker Street) to protest new anti-gay laws passed in Russia that subject LGBT Russians and foreign […]
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Russian Sports Minister confirms Olympic athletes are NOT exempt
by Cathy Kristofferson on August 1, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, LGBT, NEWS, Olympics, Russia, Sport, SPORTS
“…but if he goes onto the street and starts propagandizing it, then of course he will be held accountable” By Cathy Kristofferson, August 1, 2013 A series of tweets from @r_sport, who bills themselves as the “Official host news agency for @Sochi2014″, alerted me to renewed confirmation that Sochi Olympic athletes will NOT in fact be […]
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Protests of Russian Violations of LGBT Human Rights at U.S. Embassy and Consulates
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 31, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, LGBT, NEWS, Rally, Russia, U.S.A.
By Cathy Kristofferson, July 31, 2013 Today kicked off Embassy and Consulate protests in the U.S. against Russia’s LGBT human rights violations with actions in New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. We have blogged on the protests as actions people can take to help raise awareness about the worsening conditions for the Russian […]
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10 Actions you can take against Russia | shocking video of Russian Gay Teen torture
by Melanie Nathan on July 26, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, CRIME, LGBT, NEWS, Russia, VIDEO, WORLD
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U.S. Christian Extremist Sees Russia’s New Homophobic Laws as Model
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 22, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, LGBT, MARRIAGE EQUALITY, NEWS, RELIGION, Russia
“I can’t point to any country of the world today that is a model for the rest of the world, except perhaps for Russia” Scott Lively, radical Christian extremist By Cathy Kristofferson, July 22, 2013 For a while we have been following the ramped up anti-gay extremism taking place in Russia, which culminated with the […]
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Russia arrests Dutch tourists on gay propaganda charges
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 21, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, CRIME, LGBT, NEWS, Olympics, POLITICAL VIEWS, Russia, TOURISM
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Is Belarus following Russia’s footsteps to ban ‘gay propaganda’?
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 10, 2013 in Law, LGBT, NEWS, POLITICAL VIEWS, Russia
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Renewed calls for Olympic boycott as gay arrests continue in Russia
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 2, 2013 in CRIME, EVENTS, Law, LGBT, NEWS, Olympics, Organizations, Rally, Russia, Sport, SPORTS
An action to demonstrate the danger of the new anti-LGBT laws By Cathy Kristofferson, July 2, 2013 Amidst current graphic protests, there is a renewed call for the boycott of the Sochi Olympics, as gay arrests continue in Russia following President Putin’s signing into law the nationwide so-called “anti-propaganda bill,” banning the so called ‘promotion’ […]
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Violent Arrests at pro-Gay Rally in Russia
by Cathy Kristofferson on June 29, 2013 in LGBT, NEWS, Pride, Rally, Russia
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Same gender couples risking arrest apply for Marriage Licenses in Russia
by Cathy Kristofferson on June 28, 2013 in Law, LGBT, MARRIAGE EQUALITY, NEWS, Russia
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Call to Boycott Olympics in homophobic Russia reminds of Apartheid South Africa
by Cathy Kristofferson on June 19, 2013 in Law, LGBT, NEWS, Pride, RELIGION, Russia, Sport
“If they feel strongly about human rights they should boycott the Olympics in Sochi.” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 18, 2013 RUSA LGBT, a Russian-Speaking American LGBTQ group in New York City, is calling for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The lower house of the Russian Duma last week unanimously passed their […]
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Russian bill set to stop adoption to nations allowing same-sex marriage
by Melanie Nathan on June 18, 2013 in Adoption, CULTURE, FAMILY, Law, LGBT, NEWS, Parenting, Russia, WORLD
The Bill is based on myth as expounded by Russian Deputy Speaker, who said: “If a child ends up with a homosexual couple, it could cause severe damage and the child ends up with a distorted perception of reality.” By Melanie Nathan, June 18, 2013. As same-sex marriage is increasing in acceptance around the world, […]
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Protests and arrests as Russia’s State Duma passes anti-gay promotion bill unanimously
by Cathy Kristofferson on June 11, 2013 in Law, LGBT, NEWS, Russia
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 10, 2013 Update 6/30: President Putin today signed this bill into law. Proponents argue it is for the protection of children, but critics still allege it part of a broad crackdown on Russia’s LGBT community. For his part Mr. Putin tells international critics “We ask you not to interfere in our […]
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Scott Lively poised to cause more anti-gay persecution | An odious letter to the Russian people
by Melanie Nathan on February 23, 2013 in FAMILY, LGBT, NEWS, RELIGION, Russia, WORLD
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Russia | Pussy Riot Rock Group Arrested Protesting Putin & Sex Tourism
by Melanie Nathan on January 20, 2012 in CULTURE, MEDIA, NEWS, Russia, VIDEO, WORLD
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Five Gay Activists Arrested as third Russian Region Passes Anti-gay Laws
by Melanie Nathan on December 30, 2011 in Uncategorized { Edit }
By Guest writer Paul Canning, Dec 30, 2011 And Other Russian matter for consideration- A third Russian region has passed an anti-gay law banning LGBT organizing and public actions. Five activists have been arrested whilst protesting the law. Kostroma, a region located 300 km north east of Moscow, has become the third Russian region to […]
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Pro-Democracy Russian Movement Homophobic Rejection of LGBT Protestors
by Melanie Nathan on December 30, 2011 in LGBT, NEWS, Russia, WORLD
“He was then taken away by the police out of the demonstration and told he will not be allowed to use the rainbow flag in the protest any further.” 30 December 2011 | By Guest Dan Littauer LGBT political activists in Russia are reporting abuse at Pro-Democracy rallies across the country through gay protestors being […]
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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to be Quizzed Over anti-gay laws.
by Melanie Nathan on December 13, 2011 in LGBT, NEWS, Russia, WORLD
by Paul Canning, Dec 13, 2011- The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, told activists today that she would raise the discriminatory laws at the EU-Russia summit. She received in Brussels a 246,000 petition along with the Presidents of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT rights, Michael Cashman and Ulrike […]
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Dutch tourists accused of gay propaganda freed
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 22, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, CRIME, Law, LGBT, NEWS, Russia
“They were discussing human rights when suddenly the police and migration officers burst inside.” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 22, 2013 Today a court hearing scheduled in Murmansk, Russia for the Dutch tourists arrested on ‘gay propaganda’ charges. It would seem that the judge did not hear the matter but rather “returned the case materials for […]
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Moldova secretly adopts anti-propaganda law
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 18, 2013 in Europe, Law, LGBT, NEWS, Pride, WORLD
“Politicians specifically sought to avoid debating the bill in public.” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 18, 2013 An article introduced in the Parliament of Moldova on May 23rd titled “Public activities with negative impact on minors” has now been secretly passed and adopted. Today, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights is reporting that “A new […]
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Hypocrisy of Edward Snowden | If he was gay Putin could arrest him
by Melanie Nathan on July 15, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, LGBT, NEWS, Russia, WORLD
by Melanie Nathan, July 15, 2013. Does Edward Snowden know that if he said one pro-gay or LGBTI supportive word Putin could arrest him and he could go to jail? I find Snowden’s actions in complimenting the Russian authorities and their human rights record self serving, unnecessary and nothing more than one big Putanic arse-lick […]
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Academy Award winner risks arrest by waving rainbow flag in Red Square Moscow
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 4, 2013 in Advocacy & Activism, LGBT, NEWS, Russia
Will the Olympic athletes attending the Sochi Olympic Games follow her lead? By Cathy Kristofferson, July 4, 2013 Academy award winning actress Tilda Swinton yesterday risked arrest by standing with a rainbow flag in Red Square Moscow in clear violation of Russia’s new national so-called anti-gay “promotion” law. The picture was posted to Twitter by […]
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Scott Lively incites war against the homosexualization of states
by Cathy Kristofferson on July 2, 2013 in Law, LGBT, NEWS, RELIGION, SCOTUS, U.S.A.
“But resistance is NOT futile and we must never surrender to evil.” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 2, 2013 Posting on his blog today, SPLC-designated anti-gay hater Scott Lively boasted that his prediction came to fruition; yes he was right that one of the two SCOTUS marriage cases did indeed “go to the homosexual