To commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, Russian LGBT people across the country held “rainbow flash” flashmobs where they released multi-colored balloons into the sky.
Reportedly, rainbow flashes occurred in Archangelsk, Murmansk, Nahodka, Perm, St. Petersburg, Samara, Syktyvkar, Voronezh, Tolyatti, Tyumen and Yekaterinburg with organizational support provided by the Russian LGBT-Network. Similar events were also held throughout Europe and the world.
Nontheless, Queer Russia reported the following disturbances thanks to anti-gay forces:
The balloon event in the city Khabarovsk was interrupted by anti-gay thugs who did their best to seize and pop the balloons.
Around 200 people attended the St. Petersburg Rainbow flashmob even though groups of anti-gay thugs tried to stop them in the metro stations.
One of the orgainzers of the Murmansk flash mob was detained and accused under Russia’s “propaganda of homosexuality” law because eight minors were attending her group’s event, but the balloon release happened nevertheless.
Three participants in Parm were detained by police, though a second balloon release happened in the city without incident. Some participants in the city of Nizhniy Novgorod were attacked after the event, though no one was seriously injured.
The other cities also reportedly released their balloons without much interference.
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