Security forces conducted raids at several Moscow clubs as part of a broader campaign against LGBT propaganda. They describe the International LGBT People’s Movement as banned on Russian soil, labeled extremist and terrorist, and this designation is cited as the basis for ongoing actions. The information about the operations came from TASS, the state news agency.
The press service of the Moscow Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that propaganda of LGBT ideology was taking place in one of the clubs on Skladochnaya Street. During the inspection of the premises, authorities reported finding items described as “smartphones, laptops, video cameras and other necessary items,” and a procedural decision was issued in connection with the matter.
According to the Baza Telegram channel, dozens of people were detained as a result of checks that lasted about three hours at the Arma club. The channel did not specify any charges against the detainees. It noted that many visitors to the club were sent to a laboratory for medical examination, and that all those detained were asked about their residence, their work, and whether they had used prohibited substances.
Raids were also carried out at the Mono and Simach clubs, extending the scope of the operation beyond a single location.
Earlier, a Moscow court arrested a man who had posted material bearing LGBT symbols on a social network, illustrating the ongoing tension around LGBT expression in public life.
Earlier in Russia there was a move to ban Pushkin’s fairy tale for LGBT propaganda purposes, reflecting the broader cultural and legal debates surrounding LGBT topics in the country.