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(Moscow) The leader of Russia's Muslims on
Tuesday called for a "violent mass protest" if gay leaders go ahead
with Pride celebrations this spring.
Gay Russia is planning a pride parade in the
Russian capital on May 27, 2006 despite warnings from the city's mayor that a
permit will not be granted. (story)
The group says it is prepared to take the case
all the way to the European Court in Strasbourg. Moscow is the biggest city in
Europe never to have had a pride parade.
On Tuesday Chief Russian Mufti Talgat Tajuddin
said gays could be killed if they go ahead.
"Muslims’ protests can be even worse than these notorious rallies abroad
over the scandalous cartoons," Tajuddin, of Russia’s Central Spiritual
Governance for Muslims, told ;the Interfax news agency.
"The parade should not be allowed, and if they still come out into the
streets, then they should be bashed."
He also said that the powerful Russian Orthodox
Church would likely join in protests.
“All normal people are going to join it — Muslims and Orthodox
alike,” he told Interfax.
Tajuddin said that gays could do what they like
behind closed doors but when they become public, "sexual minorities have no rights, because they have crossed the
line," he said. "Alternative sexuality is a crime against God.”
Moderate Islamic leaders have distanced
themselves from Tajuddin's remarks and the Orthodox Church would not comment.
Gay Russia spokesperson Nikolai Alekseev called
Tajuddin's threats outrageous.
"We have never heard yet so strong words of
hatred towards sexual minorities from influential public figures," Alekseev
said.
"He said that we have no rights, appealed to
violent actions and even to killings of gays. And what is terrible is that he
used the current situation in the world, connected with the publication of
caricatures, to incite hatred towards those who have absolutely no connection to
that."
©365Gay.com 2006
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