Activists pepper-sprayed by skinheads at St Petersburg Pride
LGBTI ACTIVISTS have been left with injuries after skinheads armed with pepper spray attacked a Pride event in the Russian city of St Petersburg.
The small gathering of about 100 people in a park had been concerned about being attacked, but were denied a police escort when they requested it, according to Gay Times.
Towards the end of the event, a group of skinheads attacked the crowd with pepper spray.
Activist Anna Grabetskaya was arrested for holding a sign that said “I love my wife”.
Grabetskaya violated Russia’s ban on gay “propaganda” and may now face up to 10 days in jail for the sign.
The Pride event had almost been cancelled after event organiser Yury Gavrikov was told another event was scheduled for the park.
Gavrikov claimed that authorities create mock events as an excuse to block LGBTI activities in the park.
Russia has no legal protections against discrimination for LGBTI people. The region of Chechnya has been under international scrutiny in recent months over an alleged purge of gay and bisexual men that has been called a genocide.
