Russian gays and
their allies participated Saturday in that country's
first observance of a Day of Silence to protest antigay
discrimination, harassment, and violence, the website
UK Gay News reports.
About 25 people
gathered in a St. Petersburg park with their mouths taped
and passed out fliers. They took turns holding a banner
reading, "I Am Silent to Be Heard." The demonstration
lasted about two hours, after which two participants,
on their way to a cafe, were attacked by
three people. The victims were Igor Petrov, one of the
demonstration's organizers, and Ignat Fialkovskiy, the
press secretary for the Russian gay film festival Side
by Side. The two, who said their attackers were
strangers, received minor injuries and reported the incident
to authorities, according to UK Gay News.
There were also
Day of Silence observances in two other Russian cities:
Novokuznetsk, with 20 participants, and Yaroslavl, with
nine, the website reported. (The Advocate)