Russia: Gay Rights Activists Detained In St. Petersburg

Gay rights activist Nikolai Alekseyev

Russian police arrested over a dozen gay rights activists taking part in a Gay Pride rally over the weekend, briefly detaining leading gay rights activist Nikolai Alexeyev.

The group of some 15 people, including activists from Ukraine and Belarus, demonstrated on June 25 in St. Petersburg's Dekabristov Square.

The protest was being held in solidarity with gay pride events being held in cities throughout Europe, a day after New York became the sixth U.S. state to legalize gay marriage.

Authorities routinely deny gay rights activists permission to hold demonstrations in Russia and are quick to suppress protest activity.

compiled from agency reports