Moscow Gay Rights Activists Arrested After Bloody Melee

Gay-rights protesters petitioning the mayor of Moscow to lift the ban on gay-pride parades  yesterday were punched and kicked by anti-gay extremists shouting "death to homosexuals."  About 20 protesters were detained by police.

The attackers were said to be nationalists and Russian Orthodox extremists; one told Reuters they were protecting Moscow, a "holy city for all Russians," from "satanic" homosexuals. Richard Fairbrass, of the British pop band Right Said Fred, was punched in the face and kicked while being interviewed by Reuters. (More gay rights stories.)