A Day of Action – Love Russia, Hate Homophobia – will be held in London today, Tuesday September 3, 2013, just two days before the G20 summit opens in St Petersburg, Russia, hosted by President Putin.
The London protest will take place outside the Prime Minister’s residence on Downing Street, and is endorsed by all the London-based LGBT media: Attitude, Beige, Diva, G3, Gay Star News, GT (Gay Times), Out in the City, Pink News and QX magazine, as well as the Peter Tatchell Foundation and London’s leading weekly city guide magazine, Time Out.
In June this year, Russia introduced legislation that effectively bans any positive discussion, debate or portrayal of LGBT people and relationships. The protest’s main aim will be to pressurise Prime Minster David Cameron to raise the issue of Russia’s anti-gay repression – and LGBT rights worldwide – at the G20 summit and to directly appeal to President Putin to repeal the anti-gay law and prosecute violent homophobes.
The London protest is part of a Global Speak Out on Russia on September 3, coordinated by the international online activist group All Out. It involves same-day protests in cities around world.
For more details, CLICK HERE:
We are using the hashtag: #Russia4Love
To lobby your MP, CLICK HERE:
The key themes for the protest are:
• David Cameron: What are you doing about the anti-gay law in Russia? We want answers. Tell Putin to drop the law.
• Russia: End the anti-gay law & homophobic violence
• Solidarity with Russian LGBTS & human rights defenders
• Defend freedom of expression & human rights for all Russians
• Oppose the Putin regime’s escalating authoritarianism
• IOC must protect LGBT athletes and spectators, and ensure freedom of expression
• Sochi corporate sponsors must condemn homophobic legislation & violence
• The IOC must insist that Russia lifts its ban on a LGBT Pride House at Sochi
Pride at Sochi 2014:
Gay athletes and spectators attending the Winter Olympics could potentially face fines and/or jail sentences merely for coming out or affirming their support for LGBT equality.
The IOC charter prohibits any form of discrimination. It cannot carry on as if no human rights abuses are happening in Russia and as if these abuses will not impact on the Winter Olympics. It is hoped that the 3rd September protest will ramp up pressure on the International Olympic Committee to insist that Russia gives cast-iron assurances that LGBT competitors, spectators and members of the Russian public – and their straight allies – will not be victimised for supporting LGBT equality during Winter Olympics, which are due to be held in the Russian city of Sochi in February 2014.
QX magazine editor, Cliff Joannou, said:
“There have been protests in countries across the globe over the past few weeks against the Russian homophobic legislation, including in London on 10th August. It was the huge response to this event that gave me the idea that what was needed was for LGBT communities around the world to come together on one day with a single voice against Russia’s anti-gay policies and to demand that their own governments take action to press for an end to Russia’s anti-gay law.
“This is particularly relevant and urgent, given that Russia currently holds the presidency of the G20 and will be hosting the G20 summit on 5th and 6th September. With this Day of Action we are calling on people in Britain and around the world to join us in a unified, coordinated global protest. We are not asking for the 2014 Winter Olympics to be cancelled, but Russia’s homophobic discrimination needs to end and we need action by the IOC to help make sure this happens.”
Peter Tatchell, Director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, added:
“There can be no normal sporting relations with an abnormal authoritarian regime like Putin’s Russia. The attack on the LGBT community is one fragment of a much wider attack on human rights. It is important to encourage an alliance between LGBT and straight Russians to defend freedom of expression for all the people of Russia. LGBT people need allies to win and all Russians who love democracy and human rights deserve our support.
“Putin apologists are spreading lies. They make the false claim that the new law is solely concerned with ‘protecting’ minors. Even if this is true, why do young people need protecting from the reality of same-sex love? This justification is a crude cover for homophobia.”
How to protest on Tuesday September 3:
• Join protestors outside Downing Street from 5-8pm
• Tweet to David Cameron via: @David_Cameron and @Number10gov
• Change your Facebook profile and cover photos in the run up to September 3 to one of the shocking images of homophobic violence in Russia.
• Lobby your MP: http://lobbyforrussia.org/
• Post on social media photos of Russian LGBT people being attacked, beaten and tortured by far right homophobic vigilante groups.
• Sign the two petitions condemning the Russian government and calling for action by the IOC and its corporate sponsors.
Sign & tweet these petitions:
All Out – Petition urging Russia to eliminate anti-gay laws & violence
Change.org – Oppose Russia’s crackdown on gay rights: Urge Winter Olympics 2014 sponsors to con
demn anti-gay laws
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