This Sunday (January 20, 2013) on the central square of Voronezh a crowd of LGBT opponents beat the gay activists who came to protest against the homophobic laws.

From Ridus.ru:

A rally against the homophobic law introduced by the Voronezh legislative assembly ended in hassle. Police had to evacuate the attacked LGBT activists in their bus.

LGBT opponents in Voronezh

LGBT opponents in Voronezh, © Наталья Звягуина (@Zviaguina)
In placards: “We are for morality”, “We shouldn’t surrender to the constantly changing rules” (quote from a popular song), “Roosters belong to chicken coups” (“rooster” is the Russian slang for homosexuals)

About 50 people planned to participate in the rally, which was approved by the municipal authorities. But in the end, only 6 activists gathered in the center of Voronezh. They were met by 150 opponents of the LGBT community, who blocked their entrance to the square and, after pelting the activists with snowballs, started beating them.

Gays beaten in Voronezh

Police managed to get things under control, but only temporarily. After a while the beatings resumed. Eventually, the protesters were driven away in the police bus.

LGBT activists in Voronezh

LGBT activists in Voronezh, © Наталья Звягуина (@Zviaguina)
In placard: “I am married. I have 2 children and I am against the article 6.13.1. P.S. Being tolerant is not shameful.”

One of the attackers was arrested. According to preliminary information, none of the protesters were seriously injured.

Comments of Russian netizens

While not representative, the below comments reflect a general attitude towards sexual minorities in Russia.

ehk-8839:  Activists – are those who are on the top or bottom?)) Активисты — это те, которые сверху или которые снизу?))

passersby:  Nobody likes gays (and lesbians) in Russia.Не любят в немытой России геев (и лесбиянок).

Рейнаке (replying to the above):  Do we have to?А обязаны?

Dobryak (replying to the above):  You have to be indifferent. If your child is one of them – will you kill him/her? Or disown?Обязаны быть безразличными. Когда твой ребенок будет таким — убьешь? отречешься?

unas (replying to the above):  I hope your children are not such? My friend, why do the faggots always push their asses into our face?Надеюсь ваши дети не такие? Друг мой, ну вот чего гомосеков надирает обязательно сунуть в нос свои задницы?
Does anyone bother them? No. So, why do they have to oppose themselves to the rest of society, and afterwards cry when their muzzles are beaten in some blue-collar bar. Ну кто трогает их? Нет. Чего им надо обязательно противопоставить себя остальному обществу, а потом обижаться, что им в рабочей пивнушке дупло прочистили.

coyoteOdin:  Homophobia is a kind of fascism.гомофобия — разновидность фашизма

pinkie (replying to coyoteOdin):  It means that some kinds of fascism are very good.Это значит, что некоторые разновидности фашизма — очень даже хорошая.

asinch (also replying to coyoteOdin):  It’s a normal reaction of healthy people to anomaly.Это нормальная реакция здоровых людей на ошибки природы.

iseparator:  As long as they sit in their gay bars and secretly f**k each other in ass, the attitude towards them is neutral (everyone has skeletons in the wardrobe). But when they go out to streets and start spreading their propaganda, here grows hatred towards them and this hatred is justified. Normal people don’t bother the mad ones, until the latter try to force their rules. Пока они сидят по своим гейбарам и тихонечко долбятся в зад, к ним нейтральное отношение (у каждого есть свои скелеты в шкафу), но когда они выходят на улицу, начинают чего- то там пропагандировать, то здесь и вырастает ненависть к ним и это справедливая ненависть. Нормальные люди не лезут в жизнь к сумасшедшим, пока сумасшедшие не лезут к ним со своими правилами.

Wilson:  Faggots beat the homos.Пидарасы бьют гомосеков.

lepr:  Faggots were beaten rightfully.Правильно пидорасов избили

Михаил Фельдман:  How can one show that he is a “real man”, when he licks ass to his boss, tolerates the neighbors smoking near his door, and his only erecting manly item is mustache? That’s right – fight against the sexual minorities.Как показать, что ты ‘настоящий мужик’, если лижешь интимное место начальству, терпишь курящих под дверью соседей, а из мужских причиндалов стоят лишь усы? Правильно, травить секс-меньшинства.

sha-poh:  Rashka is 50 years behind the civilized world.раисся отстает от цивилизованного мира лет на 50. во всем.

asinch (replying to the above):  Being behind such “civilized” world is not a sin. Let them be ahead.От такого ‘цивилизованного’ мира и отстать не грех. Пусть он в этом первенствует.

Самыйсамый:  Respect to the residents of Voronezh.Воронежцам — респект и уважуха.

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