Less than a week since Russian president Vladimir Putin publicly welcomed gay athletes to the forthcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, a number of LGBT rights activists have been set upon by attackers wielding guns and baseball bats in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.
Russian activist Maria Markina said: “One guy was shot in the eye. The bullet is still there. Doctors are not sure that they can save his eye.”
The police reportedly arrived at the office of LaSky, an HIV support organisation for gay men, but left immediately saying they saw no evidence of a crime. In a statement issued later on Sunday, November 3, LaSky said: “Today’s attack is a result of escalation of [the] homophobic climate in the city.
“Those who foster the feelings of hatred on the ground of sexual orientation or gender identity, including politicians and religious leaders must be accounted for it.
“This attack aimed at the office of [an] organisation for prevention of HIV and STDs is an indication that pogrom-makers progressed from attacking activists during street rallies to attacks on closed private social events.”
Last week, President Vladimir Putin once again moved to dismiss concerns about LGBT athletes attending the Winter Olympics in light of Russia’s anti-gay laws (African Voive, Issue 506). The Games are due to be held in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi in February 2014.
“We are doing everything, both the organisers and our athletes and fans, so that participants and guests feel comfortable in Sochi, regardless of nationality, race or sexual orientation” President Putin told Thomas Bach, the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), last Monday.
