The ‘Week against Homophobia’ in Tyumen has begun for the LGBT community with court proceedings. City officials once again banned the holding of the "The tree of tolerance" event, reports the web project Tumix.Ru (Automatic translation >>).

The organisers from the "Rainbow House" had planned that the townspeople could tie a ribbon on a tree located at the venue during the week from March 28th to April 3rd.

There would be some on-site volunteers with a box of ribbons there daily. Anyone could choose a black ribbon (to support victims of homophobia), a white one (to show a neutral attitude to the problem) or some of rainbow colours (in recognition of and respect for differences among people).

The organisers sent an application in advance to the local authorities and were surprised by their answer. As it turned out, all the proposed event locations in Tyumen were booked by other public organisations.

"This response is illegal, because the administration had not proposed to hold an event in another location or at another time, as established by law.

The response of the city authorities will be appealed in court as it violates the constitutional rights of the organisers of the event. Unfortunately we do not have sufficient time to appeal against the actions of the authorities prior to the event, but we will not go on an unauthorized picket either" - said the lawyer for the "Rainbow House", Julia Mamaeva.

However, "Rainbow House" are planning further events dedicated for the "Week Against Homophobia" on April 1st. LGBT activists will hold a round-table discussed entitled "Social tolerance in contemporary Russian society".

The organisers plan to invite representatives of the municipal authorities, the Ministry of Justice of the Tyumen region and public organisations to the event.

Members of "Rainbow House" will also organise a video workshop entitled "Homophobia and its faces."