Today the "Equality" LGBT organization has held in Saint-Petersburg a gay picket dedicated to the International Tolerance Day that is being celebrated around the globe on November 16th.

The organization's official web site reports that "... LGBT active members have attracted the public attention to the issue of non-equality of the whole social group that is deprived of civil rights enjoyed but other (major) group. This is going on in today's Russia, in 21st century, in "a country of opportunities" despite the proclaimed by the Russian authorities principle "Everyone is important for Russia" (a motto of nationwide census of the Russian population done in October 2010) and government supported programs on disseminating of the tolerance in some Russian regions". (automatic translation here >>).

During the picket a group of radicals was protesting this gay action and even threatening its participants. The local law-enforcement bodies have maintained this action's security according to an application made in advance to hold the action on Bolshaya Moskovskaya str., bld. #8 in pedestrian zone.

According to the local police 4 people were detained on the grounds of violent force actions aimed at the wreckage of the LGBT action. Now they are detained and being questioned by the police as a preventive measure.

This gay action was followed by the mass-media correspondents, passersby and the police that maintained its security. Maria Efremenkova, the head of the LGBT organization "Equality" (Ravnopravie), said in the end of this action that she was satisfied with its success. "We managed to attract the public attention to the issue of enforcing the ideas of tolerance and human rights equal to every kind of sexuality and gender identity".

She also warmly welcomed the steps of the city's authorities that have demonstrated its action's consistency, having authorized the gay picket and providing its security.

English translation presented by Yerdna Bananes