Russian Gays
Observe First Day of Silence

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)