Moscow Gay Pride and Eurovision Latest

13:30: Slovenia, the country which is currently chairing the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (which Russia is a member of), is expressing concern over the violent break up of the Slavic Gay Pride parade in Moscow on Saturday, the Slovenia news agency STA is reporting. Slovenia took over the chairmanship just five days ago.

12:10: All activists detained by the police at yesterday's Slavic Gay Pride have been released.

11:00: Quite astonishing going-on. Dmitri Bartnev, the activists lawyer who flew to Moscow from St. Petersburg, was denied access to any of those detained in the police station. After a two-hour wait, Mr. Bartnev was able to briefly speak to a couple of his clients when they were brought out of the police station, each secourted by two policemen, and taken to the courthouse next door. Nikolai Alekseev was among those taken into court. The judge entered the building at the same time and forbade any of the activists who gathered outside to enter the courthouse.

09:40: There are seven activists still in police custody. Lawyers are trying to bet access.

00:00: Openly gay Graham Norton, who hosts BBC Television's coverage of Eurovision Song Contest has commented on the arrests of gay activists in Moscow on the live telecast.

23:45: Leader of the Belarus activists Sergey Androsenko has now confirmed that all Belarussians have been released from police custody. Nikolai Baev and Nikolai Alekseev are among the six people known to still be in custody. The could be held until Monday as they have been told they are to be charged with disobeying police orders and face up to 15 days in jail if convicted.

23:45: German MP Volker Beck has confirmed that he as asked the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request an explanation from the Russian Government on the arrests at the peacefull Gay Pride rally. Mr. Beck is a veteran of Gay Prides in Moscow and has had fisrt-hand experience of the police. He is following events in Moscow from his home in Germany.

23:30: Reports in the Russian media that all those arrested at Slavic Gay Pride have now been released appear not to be true. Six are known to still be in police custody. It is not known the position of the Belarussians who were detained.

21:30: The Manchester Evening News (UK) has a reporter, Peter Devine, in Moscow covering Eurovision. This evening, he wrote a scathing commentary on "the disgraceful scenes on the streets of Moscow today, as the capital embraces a music contest, has no place in civilised society and the very people who need to be say it, stood by today and meekly allowed a harmless parade of gay people to be broken up by a military style government, that will see their almost collective silence as confirmation to trample on their very rights next week".

21:15. Activists arrested have been told by the police that they will be charged with disobedience to police. They face 15 days in jail if found guilty

20:45: An appeal has gone out to Western reporters and politicians to help the Belarusians who have been detained by Moscow police. The Embassy is refusing to help them. They are said to be facing deportation from Russia. Officials at the Belarusian Embassy have confirmed that they are not giving assistance to those who took part in Slavic Gay Pride.

20:10: A lot of confusion at the Raminskoye Police Station. One gay activist arrested was sent to court where he was judged to be innocent. He was then frogmarched by the police back to the station, and put back in the cells. Russian and Belarusian detainees have been put in separate cells. Their shoelaces, belts and mobile phone taken off them. There is still no information on Nikolai Alekseev after he was taken to the police station.

19:45: A total of 31 Russian and Belarusian LGBT activists, arrested at lunchtime when taking part in Slavic Gay Pride, are still being held by the police. The have been in custody for more than three hours and police have yet to officially charge them. There are claimes that the police are now acting illegally by detaining the activists.

19:00: Who said that hard-nosed journalist don't have a heart? Food and water is being taken to the Raminskoye Police Station, when those arrested are being detained, by not only other activists who escaped detention, but also by journalists. Those arrested are being interviewed by the police usinig video cameras.

17.50: American activist Andy Thayer has been released from police custody. Only one Russian acticvist has been released so far - she said she told the police she is a journalist.

17:15: Has Inspector Clouseau joined the Moscow Police? French TV has footage of the arrest of Nikolai Alekseev by the anti-riot police who ask him for his passport. Alekseev asks them in return to show him their police identity card. The police refuse. Then, five policemen brutally jumped on him arresting him and taking him by the legs and arms. Alekseev was not waiving flags or taking part in 'the other action'. In fact. he was walking on the pavement dressed in a suit -with a bride in a wedding dress! They were walking in this garden where young married couples come after the wedding ceremony. His arrest appear to be clearly illegal. French TV has an exclusive audio recording of Alekseev while he was in the police van - because they had given him a radio microphone ...

16:00: Austrian Television (ORF) post raw news footage of some of the arrests

15:15: Reports say that Andy Theyer is still in police custody. It appear that Peter Tatchell is one of the few activists released. He is currently 'doing the rounds' with the media. There is no news on Nikolai Alekseev

14:30: Belarusian Embassy in Moscow has refused to give assistance to the Belarusian agay activists who were detained by police. Peter Tatchell is safe and has been released. He has confirmed the violent tactics ujsed by the police.

13:30: Amid the confusion over who was arrested, it is confirmed that Andy Thayer, the American gay rights activist is in police custody.

13:20: A call has gone out to performers at tonight's Eurovision Song Contest final not to go on stage in protest against the violence used by the Moscow police at Slavic Gay Pride.

13:00: The organising committee of the Slavic Gay Pride is calling on the European Brodcasting Union, who are responsible for the Eurovision Song Contest, to show footage of the violence used by the police against the peaceful participants of Pride during this evening's telecast of the Eurovision Final. Organisers say that television should not put to one side the human rights violations seen in Moscow this afternoon.

12:50: All activists have now been arrested - about 40 in all. Arrests were made while giving interviews to the media. Journalists are still at the scene. All activists have been arrested while giving interviews. Western diplomats are watching the situation.

12:30: 20 LGBT arrested by anti-riot police while they were marching in the direction of the Moscow State University. They pulled out flags and crowd of jouirnalists followed them. Police to immeditaely arrested them. Peter Tatchell among the first to be arrested.

12:10: The time has come! The attempt to stage Slavic Gay Pride is about to begin. Crowd of media and police is already at the places. Representatives of French, German, Finnish, UK, and Dutch embassies are at the spot monitoring the situation ,ready to grant assistance to their nationals.

12:00: Openly gay Graham Norton, who is the BBC'c 'front-man' for the Eurovision Song Contest, replacing Sir Terry Wogan, told the UK Guardian yesterday that he was unaware of the furore over Slavic Gay Pride. "I feel really bad but I don't know anything about this," he told the newspaper. The composer of the UK entry, Andrew Lloyd Webber, told the Guardian he was baffled, saying he had no idea why the march had been banned. "It must be something to do with security. I really don't know."

11:00: Everyone is very excited about the parade today and are more than ready to go in the street, despite the threats reported by the Moscow police last night. It is just hard to believe that despite this being only the fourth Gay Pride, there are this year 55 activists from several regions of Russia and Belarus who have checked in for the event and have been helping the organisers since Thursday. But

10:00: "We will be on the front of the march with our accreditation risking to be beaten," said Bruno Berberes of the French delegation to the Eurovision Song Contest. "We support the Gay Pride and the Eurovision is a competition which is well liked by gays around the world. We will demonstrate in front of the police."

01:00: Speaking from his 'secret hideaway' somewhere in Moscow, the chief Slavic Gay Pride organiser, Nikolai Alekseev, declared: "Everyone is very excited about tomorrow and more than ever ready to go in the street despite the threats reported by the Moscow police tonight. It is just hard to believe that despite we are organizing the action for the 4th time, we have this year 55 activists from several regions of Russia and Belarus who checked in for the event and who since thursday are just working on it and who more than everything want to march tomorrow. For the forth time, we are just showing to Russian that gays and lesbians are not cowards and that they are not scared to march for their rights. And looking at the high number of reports in the Russian media, the message is delivered!"

23:00: It emerged this evening that the Embassies of Finland, Germany, Netherlands, France, United States and United Kingdom have all told the Slavic Gay Pride organis that they will be monitoring the Pride to check any abuse or use of force against peacefull demonstrators.

23:00: The French delegation to Eurovision has indicated that it will be "marching with their accreditation to Eurovision on display at tomorrow's Slavic Gay Pride.

22:00: Organisers of Slavic Gay Pride are in "secured locations". In case of arrest of one one of them, another one will take the lead. It's all like something out of a James Bond movie with each organiser having several telephone numbers and usikng codes. It is known that the police azre looking to prevent the event at any cost, bujt their efforts to put the organisers 'out of circulation' have so far miserably failed. There was a 'dress rehersal' at Moscow Pride last year when the cops were out-witted - and a gay pride march, albeit of some 200 meters, was staged.

22:00: While the Eurovision Song Contest is a massive ratings 'banker' for the BBC, one of the four broadcasters who provide most of the competition's finance, 'Auntie' has hardly breathed a word to British audiences about the shennigans over Slavic Gay Pride, though there was an article on the BBC Website yesterday afternoon. It's not the case for BBC World Service listeners across the world, BBCWS Website has a three-and-a-half minute audio report available ...

21:00: If Russia was hopeing that Eurovision would enhance its international image after it became tarnished following the Georgia incident, then perhaps the powers that be have miscalculated. The world's media is making a considerable play on how the Mayor of Moscow has banned the Slavic Gay Pride parade (as he has done for the previous three years) scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. And it;s not just the world's popula media giving the coverage. Bloomberg, the mainly financial Television TV station and Website is also combining the two Saturday 'events' in Moscow. In a report earlier today, Peter Tatchell is quoted: “It’s bizarre that Russia is prepared to host a song contest, yet it won’t allow a brief and peaceful gay pride parade.

20:00: Nineteen-year-old gay activist strong>Sergey Yeni has said that he only made the decision to travel from Belarus to attend Slavic Gay Pride in Moscow three days ago. And the deccision was made, he said, knowing that the Pride might not take place, not to mention the fact that "Pride participants are going to be beaten". The teenager said, when asked why: "Because this is my fight really. If I don't go to the pride parade, who will go there? My reasons to come was to support my friends and of course to support gay rights." Report by Chicago gay activist Andy Baev.

19:00: The Danish singer in Eurovision Song Contest, Niels Brinck, has said that he will probably say something about the whole gay parade ordeal from the stage at tomorrow's final, the Copenhagen daily Berlingske Tidende reports.

16:00: Slavic Pride organisers are reported to be in hiding at "secret location" as police try to track them down and make arrest.. With the organisers is Peter Tatchell who described the situation as "surreal"

13:00: According to daily paper Moskovski Komsomolets (MK), moscow police is planing the arrest of the Moscow Pride leader Nikolai Alekseev today.

11:00: Peter Tatchell arrived in Moscow last night. Despite reports that he might be banned from entering the country, he was treated courteously at immingration. And at last night's Slavic Pride conference, Tatchell was given an award to mark his third visit to Moscow to attend a Pride.

07:00: Even the august Washishington Post subsidiary Foreign Policy is keeping an eye on Moscow this week. Under the headline Moscow Prepares for Gay Rights Showdown, Joshua Keating writes: "If Russia can't even host the world's kitschiest song contest without ... gay fans fearing for their safety from bigoted thugs, what are the 2014 Olympics going to be like?"

22:00: The internationally-known Russian girl pop duo t.A.T.u. will be appearing in Saturday's Eurovision final telecast, along with the Alexandrov Ensemble of the Russian Armed Forces. Often described a "scandalous" for the projection of a lesbian image, the girls made a brief, but poingniant apperarance in the banned Moscow Gay Pride in 2007. But the appearance of t.A.T.u is the only official Eurovision 'nod' to the LGBT community. "The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) would be able to insist that the Moscow authorities allow our Pride," one gay Russian commented. "But nothing - only the Netherlands have so far publicliy supported the Pride." The broadcasters from France, Germany, Spain and UK, who largely bankroll the Eurovision Song Contest (and have automatic entry into the final) have made no public comment so far.

21:00: Chicago-based LGBT activist Andy Theyer has arrived in Moscow ahead of Saturday's Slavic Pride.

15:30: The openly gay member of the Netherlands entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, Gordon, has said that he will be wearing a Russian gay movement pin on his glittery costume during Thursday’s semi-final live telecast performance of Shine by the vocal trio Toppers. . He also said he will join Saturday's Gay Pride 'March' if the group fails to make it to the final. At the weekend, he said that if Toppers make it to Saturday's final and the Gay Pride event planned for the afternoon is banned he would refuse to perform and take the flight back to Amsterdam in protest. The other two in the trio, Jeroen van der Boom and Rene Froge, said at the weekend they would make their decision tomorrow following the semi-final.

15:00: The Netherlands could well "black-out" the Eurovision Song Contest final on Saturday. A report in the Dutch newspaper AD says that public service broadcaster NOS has decided it will withdraw the Dutch entry and may take the whole competition off-air if the authorities use force to prevent the Slavic Gay Pride from taking place in Moscow.

11:00: The Russian Writers Union is backing the Mayor of Moscow's ban of Baltic Pride, Interfax reports this morning. The Union calls the plan to hold the rally a "provocation by Russia's adversaries" and say that if it goes ahead it will give an "offensive image of Moscow by using mentally impaired people..."

01:00: Last night, the attention turned from the controversy around the Slavic Pride, to the Eurovision Song Contest itself. It was the first semi-final - and ten countries emerged to go through to Saturday's final. Second semi-final is on Thursday when another 10 countries will go forward to the final, with 25 participating countries. Five countries, Russia (the host country), France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, automatically qualify. Go to the OFFICIAL EUROVISION WEBSITE for details of the first semi-final - and videos.

23:00: The radio programme this evening on Megapolis FM about Slavic Pride with Nikolai Alekseev went well. During the show, there was a call from one of the organisers of the annual gay picnic held evey May in the suburbs of. He suggested that "we have very nice authorities - we can conduct our event nicely every year and I don't think we need a gay parade". Mr.Alekseev answered: "Of course, this is an open air party where people are more interested to gather and have sex than discussing human rights. Moscow Pride is about human rights. And if one day, after it is allowed, it was to become a carnival, it would not longer be of any interest for me."

22:00: Chiefs at Eurovision are said to be becoming very nervous about Saturday. A scandal around Slavic Gay Pride, due to be staged hours before the Eurovision Song Contest finals would tarnish the competition, which so far has a good track record. Causing the alarm among TV moguls from across Europe was the announcement that the Moscow police are considering arresting the main gay activists in Moscow on Friday. Added too that was the warning given to gay Brits from the Foriegn and Commonwealth Office in London to be careful on the streets of Moscow on Saturday.

In Moscow, it is already said that the Police might arrest the main gay activists behind the pride movement a day before the planed gay pride. The Eurovision Oragnizers are in did quite nervous especially after the British Foreign Office sent a warning to its gay citizen asking them to be carrefull in the streets of the Russian capitale on saturday. A scandal around the Slavic Pride would not only touch Russia (which is used to it) but also the Eurovision comptetition track record.

21:00: International news agency Reuters is reporting that Russian nationists are threatening to "cure" anyone who takes part in Saturday's Slavic Gay Pride Parade in Moscow. "We will cure them for sure. We will help them to the hospital to be treated by the doctors. They are ill people," Alexei Samsonov, a right-wing activist, told Reuters. All thiis on the eve of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia ...

17:00: The attempt to hold the first lesbian wedding in Russia failed, as was expected. The application was refused. But the event became a media circus. The couple, Irina Shipiko and Irina Fet, gave an impromptu press conference outside the Registry Office, and then went inside to make the request. Officials did not prevent the media from also going into the office. The couple said afterwards that they would appeal the decision of the Registrar in the courts. In the meantime, the couple said they planned to get married later this year in Toronto, Canada. Russia Today has a report.

15:00: Moscow radio station Megapolis FM is due to broadcast a one-hour 'special' this evening on Slavic Pride and Eurovision. Programme host Alexey Mitrofanov has invited Pride co-organiser Nikolai Alekseev to take part.

13:00: The Moscow papers are full of reports on the Gay Pride scheduled for Saturday May 16. Peter Tatchell, previously virtually unknown in Russia, was wideley quoted in the Russian press today, following his statement issued yesterday. Interfax reports that Russian Pentecostals have vowed to hold mass protest actions throughout Russia, if the authorities give their permission for Gay Pride parades. The report uses all the anti-gay 'buz' words like debauchery and pederasty. Meanwhile, MosNews concentrates on the news that a "prominent British human rights activist" (Peter Tatchell) has praised Russian LGBT activists for going ahead with Slavic Gay Pride, despite the aledged ban by the city big-wigs.

11:00: The first 'lesbian marriage' attempt will take place at 12.30 at one of Moscow's Marriage Registry Office (ZAGS). Already many journalists have inquired about the venue, which is being kept 'under wraps'..

10:00: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in UK has issued a "travel advisory" for visitros to Moscow this week. "Visitors to Moscow in May should be aware that gay rights activists are planning to hold a gay pride march in central Moscow on May 16. The march is scheduled to take place on the same day as the final of the Eurovsion Song Contest, which is being hosted in Moscow this year. The Moscow authorities have not granted permission for the march, and attempts to hold similar marches in recent years have been marred by violence and arrests. Visitors should familiarise themselves with the paragraph on attitudes to homosexuality in Russia in the 'Local laws and customs' section of this Travel Advice."

00:00 Nikolai Alekseev: "We know from internal sources that [President] Medvedev is aware of the situation around the pride and the Eurovision. He already sacked the influential head of Moscow police last month, and similar riots like in 2006 at first Moscow Pride could be used to change the mayor."

23:00: With the media pack encamped in Moscow for Eurovision, there is considerable interest in the human rights for LGBT people in Russia. Those TV stations who don't have broadcasting rights for Eurovision are particularly interested in Saturday's Gay Pride. And Pride organisers report that there has been very little contact from TV news crews from Eurovision broadcasters.

20:00: Interesting remarks made by Konstantin Ernst, the head of Channel One Russia, and Ivan Urgant, the co-host of Saturday's final, at a press conference staged by the broadcaster today. Asked for their opinion of the banning of the Gay Pride, Mr Urgant said he thought all negative feeling will disappear on the day of Eurovision Song Contest and the streets will be filled with only happy people. And Mr. Ernst said he had not heard of any ban. He said he believed everybody should be free to express themselves as long as they did not breach public order. Full report of the press conference can be read on the ESC Today site. This part of the press conference is not being reported by the official EBU Eurovision Song Contest Website.

19:00: Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell will be arriving in Moscow for Saturday's Slavic Pride. He issued a statement this afternoon from London. Tatchell has already been booked for a discussion (in English) on a Moscow-based radio station following the Pride march. Also booked is American gay rights campaigner Andy Thayer who is also expected to arrive in Moscow this week.

17:00: Diplomats at several EU Embassies have been consulted by Slavic Pride organisers. The Embassies are considering joint diplomatic action on Saturday if people are arrested.

14:00: It was to be expected that the Mayor of Moscow would ban Slavic Gay Pride, he has banned the three previous Moscow Gay Prides. But über-homophobic Mayor Luzhkov has OK'd the Anti Slavic Gay Pride demo - the second in a week. It will take place tomorrow at 5pm in Pushkin Square, famous, among many other things, for having the first McDonald's which opened during the Soviet era. There is no indication if Luzhkov will be popping over to Pushkin Square around 5pm ... for a Big Mac and fries, with a large diet Coke, of course.

11:00: A Russian TV channel has said they want to cover live the lesbian marriage planned for tomorrow afternoon in the center of Moscow. They plan to send a special truck for their coverage. The girls are excited about the marriage - they already know what they will wear and they are deciding on which flowers they will have.

21:00: Slavic Pride Organising Committee held its last scheduled meeting before the events on Saturday afternoon. Discussed were various options for Saturday's parade which has been banned by über-homophobic Mayor Luzhkov. Such was the security at the meeting that participants not only had to switch off their mobile phones, but the batteries had to be removed ... to make absolutly sure that there were no eavesdroppers.

20:00: One for the lawyers ... Slavic Gay Pride is banned, proclaimed said Sergey Tsoy, the press secretary for the Moscow Mayor, to the world's press. But Pride organisers are saying that the administration in City Hall have not yet given a final - and official - decision. According to the law, they should have been notified by last Friday. But on Friday at 5pm the decision was not ready. "We have not yet received the decision from the office of mayor," the clerks told organisers. This is a long holiday weekend -Russia is celebrating the Victory Hollidays (over facsism). Next working day is Tuesday ...

18:30: Nikolai Alekseev, co-organiser of Slavic Pride has welcomed the statement of Dutch singer Gordon. “He has made a corageous step,” Alekseev said this afternoon. “Human rights are a supreme value, and their violation can not remain without a response.”

16:00: Portuguese entry Flor-de-Lis will be performing in front of a bakdrop of flowers and a rainbow. How gay!

14:00: The Dutch contestants have threatened to boycott the Finals on the Eurovision Song Contest if the Gay Pride march is not allowed to go ahead. Openly gay Gordon, of the Toppers, told NOS-TV in the Netherlands he had made-up his mind, while Jeroen van der Boom and Rene Froge said they would make a decision on Thursday following the semi-final. The trio are said to be potential semi-finalists. For a report see Expatica.

When you are a gay icon, you just have to clears some space in your diary to pop-in on Eurovision rehersals. And that is what iconic Vladimir Putin, former Russian President and pin-up following those shirtless fishing photos, did ... taking five from Prime Ministerial duties.