Russian security forces raided gay clubs and bars across Moscow Friday night, less than 48 hours after the country’s top court banned what it called the “global LGBTQ+ movement” as an extremist organization.
Police searched venues across the Russian capital, including a nightclub, a male sauna, and a bar that hosted LGBTQ+ parties, under the pretext of a drug raid, local media reported.
Eyewitnesses told journalists that clubgoers’ documents were checked and photographed by the security services. They also said that managers had been able to warn patrons before police arrived.
@Stamau123 What were they looking for 👀
People who like getting their shirt off?
They’re creating lists of people and looking into their associated social networks. Do you want to be on a list of people your government has suddenly associated with crime and terrorism because your cousin went to a gay bar?
@Szymon Unfortunately tactics used in the american south of course.
People who want to pretend this couldn’t happen in America need to realise 2021 Maryland used obscenity laws banning oral sex to raid a gay bookstore and arrest people for having sex in private. That’s a somewhat rural part of one of the most progressive states, there are far too many republicans that would love to use some flimsy excuse to criminalize gay people and throw as many in jail as possible.