Russian Police Forcefully Detain LGBTQ Activists During May Day Protests

Over twenty protesters were ripped from the streets of St. Petersburg by Russian police officers and detained this afternoon. The activists marched in protest of the unjust treatment of gay and bi men in Chechnya.

While both the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International denounced Chechnya and have demanded a solution to this injustice, the Chechnyan government deny these crimes in full. This includes Chechnya’s Moscow-backed president Ramzan Kadyrov, who has gone so far as to state that there are no gay men in Chechnya to persecute. Russian officials have had little to say on the matter, generally siding with Kadyrov.

The protesters marched carrying both Chechnyan and LGBTQ flags, covered in fake blood. Several arrests were made in conjunction with the protests. Photos from the detainment show the activists crammed into close quarters in deplorable conditions.

Check out some of the social media coverage of the May Day LGBTQ protests and arrests, in St. Petersburg.

#MayDay2017: Picture of protest against mass executions in Russia (before police assault) with flags of Russia, Chechnya and LGBT pic.twitter.com/yRICL5uBY0

— Protest SPb (@ProtestSPb) May 1, 2017

Одну из задержанных участниц акции против убийств ЛГБТ-людей в Чечне увезли на скорой, обморок. pic.twitter.com/ux4JEdtEX7

— Varya Zloy (@BukvaCe) May 1, 2017

“One of the detained participants of the protest against the murders of LGBT people in Chechnya were taken away by ambulance, fainting.”

Задержанные на акции против убийств ЛГБТ-людей в Чечне. Сидим друг на друге, невыносимо душно, возят по кругу. pic.twitter.com/XSgHkodB8x

— Varya Zloy (@BukvaCe) May 1, 2017

“Arrested while protesting the killing of LGBT people in Chechnya, sitting on top of each other, unbearably humid, driving in circles.”

Police at Petersburg May Day have detained 10 LGBT activists protesting torture & killing of gay men in Chechnya https://t.co/MS5rIA8ppV pic.twitter.com/89Bo5Y7aCx

— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) May 1, 2017

На первомае в Петербурге задержали акцию в против убийства геев в Чечне pic.twitter.com/uV202NGD4b

— Dave Frenkel (@merr1k) May 1, 2017

“On the first of May in Saint Petersburg, they arrested protestors against the murder of gays in Chechnya.”

Задержанные участники первомая просто за радужные флаги pic.twitter.com/khNaKjpbsH

— Dave Frenkel (@merr1k) May 1, 2017

“Participants are detained from celebrating May Day over their rainbow flags.”