The US-based Human Rights Watch has condemned a plan by the mayor of Moscow to ban the city's first ever gay pride march. Organisers have been anticipating 5000 participants for the May 27 parade. A spokesperson for the mayor told reporters on February 16 that "the Moscow government is not even going to consider allowing a gay parade", claiming the proposed event has "evoked outrage in society, in particular among religious leaders". The proposal follows similar moves last year in Poland, where city authorities banned gay marches in Warsaw and Krakow. In response to rising homophobia, the European Parliament on January 18 passed a resolution calling on all European Union member countries "firmly to condemn homophobic hate speech or incitement to hatred and violence".
From Green Left Weekly, March 8, 2006.
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