RUSSIA: "Cut Their Balls Off’ As Anti-Gay Protesters Ramp Up Pressure

<p>As the Russian lower house passed a law that could see anyone who ‘promotes homosexual propaganda’ to anyone under 18 face stiff fines or even jail sentences, 200 anti-gay protesters beat, threw bottles and abused pro-gay activists.</p> <p>by Newsdesk | 12th June 2013</p><p></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4593854221.png" width="459" height="308" alt="Police step on the neck of a pro-gay activist | Ilya Varlamov | Twitter" title="Police step on the neck of a pro-gay activist | Ilya Varlamov | Twitter"/></p> <p></p><p>This disturbing images from <a href="http://zyalt.livejournal.com/795978.html">Ilya Varlamov</a> show to some extent the abuse that 20 pro-gay rights activists faced yesterday as Russia's government voted 434-0 to install a new bill that could leave anyone promoting a homosexual lifestyle to anyone under the age of 18 with jail time or a hefty fine.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.vocativ.com/06-2013/cut-their-balls-off-russian-official-supports-kids-kicking-gay-rights-activists/">Vocativ</a> reports that at one point 'an unidentified Duma official from the Communist Party approached and shook hands with a policeman, and reportedly said: “So are you guys ramping up the pressure on these faggots? Beat them up well! Cut their balls off!” '</p><p></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4593854254.png" width="460" height="368" alt="" title=""/></p> <p>Violence towards gay and pro-gay rights activists has been ramped up in the past few months, with two murders and numerous attacks happening within a few weeks of each other.</p><p></p><p>AllOut.org have a petition for the Russian President, Putin. Nearly 85,000 people have already signed it.</p><p></p><p>The petition asks,</p><p></p><p>'TO PRESIDENT PUTIN, RUSSIAN POLITICIANS AND ALL WORLD LEADERS:</p><p></p><p>We stand with citizens across Russia who are calling on their government to stop the crackdown against lesbian, gay, bi and trans people that is fuelling anti-gay violence. </p><p></p><p>We urge leaders around the world and within Russia to work to eliminate all anti-gay laws and protect all citizens from violence and discrimination in Russia.'</p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/null">Sign it it here</a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4586001108.jpg" width="380" height="28" alt="" title=""/></p> <p></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/RUSSIA-Passes-Anti-Gay-Bill-To-Outlaw-%E2%80%98Promoting%E2%80%99-Homosexuality-436---0/5890111">RUSSIA: Passes Anti-Gay Bill To Outlaw ‘Promoting’ Homosexuality 436 - 0</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/NEWS-Anti-Gay-Crisis-In-Russia/5865554">NEWS: Anti-Gay Crisis In Russia</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/EUROVISION-Gay-Kisses/5712297">Eurovision: Gay Kisses</a></p><p></p><p> </p>