Home Australia Russia fines nightclub revellers for ‘looking too gay’ due to their outfits as Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin strengthens anti-LGBT clampdown

Russia fines nightclub revellers for ‘looking too gay’ due to their outfits as Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin strengthens anti-LGBT clampdown

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Videos of the operation show men in military-style uniforms and helmets arresting at least eight people

Russia has fined nightclub revelers wearing military-style uniforms and helmets for “looking too gay.”

At least seven people were fined following a police raid on a Tula nightclub in February, according to court documents seen by independent Russian media outlet Verstka.

Videos of the operation show men in military-style uniforms and helmets detaining at least eight people, the Telegraph information.

They were reportedly accused of “trying to arouse interest in non-traditional sexual relations”, something that has been prohibited in Russia for a decade.

This charge is usually directed at those who post pro-LGBT material, not those who wear “unmasculine” clothing.

According to Verstka, the detainees were wearing clothing that police suspected promoted “non-traditional sexual relations.”

One man reportedly wore “black ribbon crosses attached to his nipples” and a “feminine-style corset” on his “naked” body, while another with “bright orange” hair and “red tattoos on his face” wore ” pink socks” as well as “an unbuttoned kimono.”

The arrests come as the Kremlin further pushes its anti-LGBT offensive as it seeks to promote “traditional values,” which includes a ban on “propaganda promoting a child-free lifestyle.”

Videos of the operation show men in military-style uniforms and helmets arresting at least eight people

The detainees were reportedly wearing clothing that police suspected promoted

The detainees were reportedly wearing clothing that police suspected promoted “non-traditional sexual relations,” according to Verstka.

Another description of those arrested in the raid said there was a man wearing a crop top, black leather shorts and fishnet stockings.

The judges ruled that the detainees’ clothing promoted a “non-traditional” sexual lifestyle and their appearance was “inconsistent with the image of a man with a traditional sexual orientation,” Verstka reports.

While eight people were arrested, only seven received a fine: the eighth, a bartender, avoided a fine after arguing that he was a goth, saying that was the reason he had eyebrow piercings, dyed turquoise hair and dressed a black t-shirt. shirt that was reportedly rolled up to the chest.

According to Verstka, not all of the court’s decisions have been made public, but the outlet reported that two detainees received fines of £350 (50,000 rubles).

This is not the only time Russian authorities arrested partygoers. In November, police reportedly raided several bars and clubs in Moscow under laws criminalizing “LGBT propaganda.”

The decade-old law that punished partygoers is often called Russia’s “anti-gay law.”

Initially, it only prohibited the dissemination of “LGBT propaganda” among minors, but in 2022 it was expanded to include the promotion of “non-traditional lifestyles.”

As part of his drive

As part of his “traditional” push, Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured) even signed a decree last August making it easier for foreigners to apply for residence permits if they share Russia’s traditional values.

The law has been used to punish people for “crimes,” from sharing rainbow flags on social media to publicly admitting to engaging in sexual activity with minors.

In 2024, according to Verstka, a minimum of 131 cases of “LGBT propaganda” were sent to courts in Russia.

Of them, at least 71 people received fines ranging from £350 (50,000 rubles) to £1,400 (200,000 rubles).

As part of his “traditional” push, Russian President Vladimir Putin even signed a decree last August making it easier for foreigners to apply for residency permits if they share Russia’s traditional values.

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