Orthodox and Muslim clergy have expressed protest against plans to hold a gay parade in Moscow. Such propaganda of homosexuality, as the Russian Orthodox Church calls the parade, could provoke protests similar to the "cartoon scandal" in Europe.
The holding of the "Moscow International Gay Festival," uniting supporters of same-sex love, is planned in Moscow for the last days of May this year. According to the organizers' plan, a march of participants on May 27 in the center of the Russian capital should become part of the festival; an application to hold it was submitted in advance to Moscow City Hall.
The idea of the march provoked a sharp reaction from the mufti of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia, Talgat Tadzhuddin. "Under no circumstances can this be allowed, and if they (homosexuals) do come out onto the street, then they should simply be beaten. And that is how all normal people will treat them," the cleric stated. According to the mufti, homosexuality is a crime against God, and representatives of non-traditional sexual orientation "have no rights at all, because they have crossed the line." "Homosexuals can do whatever they want, but only at home or where no one will see them," believes Talgat Tadzhuddin.
Representatives of the Orthodox clergy called the parade a "poeticization of sin" and announced that they "are simply obliged to speak out sharply against the holding of such actions." Such statements drew sharp criticism from homosexuals themselves. "It is good that the Orthodox Church is not calling on people to pick up stones and go beat participants of the gay parade," Eduard Mishin, editor-in-chief of the Gay.ru portal, ironically replied to the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Published in the newspaper "DELO" No. 79 of February 16, 2006.