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.