The Russian Rainbow-flashmob initiative lead to initiatives in some 30 locations around the country, through formal and informal events.
In St Petersburg, some 150 people responded to the call from the organisation “Coming Out LGBT” to celebrate IDAHO and protest against the discrimination faced by LGBT people and their families. Event slogans included: “Different people – same values,” “Born to be ourselves,” “Parental love does not depend on the orientation of their children,” and “Homosexuality is not a disease.”
In the meantime in Moscow, the city authorities chose the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia to announce one more banning of the Moscow Pride march which was scheduled for the week after. An announcement mocked as ‘impeccable timing’ by organizers Gayrussia.eu.