Cossack tears up poster in defence of Chechen gays at picket in Volgograd

Vlad Pogorelov, an activist, has encountered opposition of law enforcers and Cossacks at a picket in Volgograd against persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya and other Russian regions.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 11, the "Novaya Gazeta" reported a new wave of persecutions of gays in Chechnya. Social network users have urged LGBTs to urgently leave the republic. According to the Russian LGBT network, about 40 people were detained in Chechnya since the end of last December because of their sexual orientation, two persons were killed.

Three minutes after the activist unfolded his first poster, three Cossacks and a policeman approached him. One of the Cossacks tore up and threw all the posters into the garbage bin. The activist managed to spread several leaflets among passers-by; the leaflets indicated that law enforcers were keeping gays in two police stations in Chechnya. The remaining leaflets were taken away from Pogorelov.

The Cossack explained that the law prohibits the spread of homosexuality.

The policeman asked the activist what good he "had done in his life." "You better help sick children or old people," he advised.

Vlad Pogorelov said that he had already encountered enmity "both personally and via the Internet."

An LGBT activist named Victoria came to support him. According to her story, there are about 500 LGBT activists in Volgograd; she herself managed to avoid oppressions.