Police in St. Petersburg on Sunday
detained several gay rights activists protesting the city's continued
decision not to allow a Gay Pride parade.
The activists held individual pickets
near the Hermitage Museum, according to the AP.
“Yes, I'm gay, and I have similar
rights to other people,” Alexei Nazarov is quoted as saying.
Veterans of Russian Airborne Forces
gathered in many Russian cities to mark the Airborne Forces Day on
Sunday.
A group of former paratroopers
confronted the activists and angrily tore up their posters.
“We will beat up all these gays,”
one of them said, flexing his bicep for journalists.
Police detained three activists, even
though one-person pickets do not require permission from authorities.
Yuri Gavrikov, who heads a gay rights
group, was detained by police on his way to join the other activists.