Russian police raid Moscow nightclubs over 'LGBT propaganda'

Russian constabulary raided respective bars and nightclubs successful Moscow aboriginal Saturday nether laws criminalizing "LGBT propaganda," authorities media reported.

During the raids, smartphones, laptops and video cameras were confiscated, portion club-goers had their documents checked by officers, according to reports.

Footage shared connected societal media appeared to amusement partygoers being ordered by constabulary to prevarication down connected the level arsenic officers moved done the Arma nightclub successful Moscow.

Another video showed radical being escorted retired of the fashionable cheery nine Mono successful cardinal Moscow with their hands implicit their heads arsenic a constabulary van parked outside.

The Interior Ministry said constabulary had besides raided an unnamed nightclub connected Skladochnaya Street that had been "propagandizing the ideology of the banned LGBT movement."

Police besides detained the caput of the "Men Travel" question bureau nether anti-LGBT laws, state-run quality bureau TASS reported. The bureau said the 48-year-old was suspected of preparing a travel for "supporters of non-traditional intersexual values" to Egypt implicit the Russian New Year holiday.

Anniversary of prohibition connected 'international LGBT movement'

The raids came connected the one-year day of Russia's Supreme Court outlawing the "international LGBT movement" arsenic an "extremist organization," paving the mode for arrests and prosecutions of the country's already repressed LGBTQ community.

This determination was the culmination of a decades-long crackdown connected LGBTQ+ rights in Russia, wherever President Vladimir Putin has touted what helium calls "traditional household values" arsenic a cornerstone of his quarter-century successful power.

Since launching its subject onslaught connected Ukraine astir 3 years ago, the Kremlin has ramped up its blimpish rhetoric. It has framed the struggle arsenic a conflict against the West and its values.

Other caller laws person besides served to enactment unit connected those the Russian authorities believes don't conform to the country's "traditional values."

On November 23, Putin signed into instrumentality a measure banning the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries wherever gender-affirming attraction is legal.

The Kremlin person besides approved a instrumentality banning the organisation of worldly that encourages radical not to person children.

dh/sms (AP, AFP)