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

<p>As the Russian lower house passes 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 at and abused pro-gay activists.</p> <p></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 stand on the neck of a pro-gay activist | Twitter" title="Police stand on the neck of a pro-gay activist | Twitter"/></p> <p></p><p></p><p>These 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="One activist left bloodied after brutal attack | Twitter | Ilya Varlamov " title="One activist left bloodied after brutal attack | Twitter | Ilya Varlamov "/></p> <p></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>Sign it it here <a href="http://www.allout.org/en/actions/russia-attacks">www.allout.org/en/actions/russia-attacks</a> </p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="http://thegayuk.17490.n7.nabble.com/Cut-Their-Balls-Off-tp132.html">Discuss this in the forum</a></p><p> </p>