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By: Nigel Robinson

Moscow police broke up a gay protest but allowed an anti-gay rally

The demonstration took place on Saturday on the day of the supposedly gay-friendly Eurovision Song Contest which was also being held in the Russian capital.

Moscow authorities had banned the event, claiming that Pride events destroy the moral foundations of Russian society.

The city’s Mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, has also described homosexuality as “satanic” and has blamed gay men for the spread of HIV and AIDS.

Up to eighty protesters, including human tights, activist Peter Tatchell, were arrested and taken away by the Moscow police. Police ripped the bra and shirt off one female protester.

"The arrests were done in a very violent, aggressive manner," said Tatchell after his release. "We believe the reaction of the Moscow police was totally unjustified.

"Today's arrests go against the principles of Eurovision, which are about peace, harmony, cooperation and unity between all the peoples in Europe”

An anti-gay rally of about fifty protesters from the Orthodox Church and nationalist groups was allowed to go ahead with minimal interference from the authorities.