Police in St. Petersburg, Russia
detained 67 people after a fight broke out between gay rights
activists and their opponents at a rally on Saturday.
The AP reported that several dozen
activists who planned to hold a demonstration to mark International
Coming Out Day were confronted by roughly 200 conservative and
religious activists.
Police waited nearby until the two
groups clashed as a pro-gay demonstrator attempted to unfurl a
rainbow-colored flag. Opponents drubbed her to the ground and ripped
the flag away from her.
“The homophobes broke up the action
with the help of the police,” Natalia Tsymbalova, who helped
organize the demonstration, told
Reuters.
Police said those detained were from
both sides.
Passage of a law in June prohibiting
the promotion of “gay propaganda” to minors has attracted
international attention as Russia prepares to host the Winter
Olympics in Sochi next year.