According to media reports, Russian police raided several gay bars and nightclubs in Moscow. In addition, a sauna that was only accessible to men was searched, the Russian press reported today. The apparently coordinated operations occurred shortly after the Russian judicial system banned the international LGBTQ movement.
The videos showed police, among other things, in front of a nightclub frequented by gays, where a large dance party was taking place. “The music stopped in the middle of the party,” an eyewitness told Ostorozhno Novosti. The police then took photos of the guests’ identification documents.
Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday banned the “international LGBTQ movement” for “extremism” and banned its activities on Russian territory. The English abbreviation LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer.
The decision came into force with immediate effect. However, the high court did not initially provide any information about whether its ruling applied to specific people or organizations in Russia. This means that its exact effects initially remained unclear. “Extremism” carries long prison sentences in Russia.