Amnesty Int.'s reaction to Russia anti-gay violence

Amnesty International, well known for it's record of espousing and supporting human rights around the world, has come out with some harsh words about the mob attacks on gay marchers in Russia. This is further to the EU wanting Russia to drop it's so called "gay propaganda" laws that likely will come into force in July.

Amnesty condemns the lack of police willingness to protect LGBT people there, and are scathing in their description of how the church has too much influence. There's more too that went on than just on those videos online.

“The authorities must investigate this violence and bring to justice those responsible for committing acts punishable by law.” 

Video from the scene depicts dozens of people apparently attempting to lynch a young man because they believed he was gay – something he denies, while making the sign of the cross in front of a nearby church. Police intervened to separate the man from the crowd, but no arrests were made at the time. 

The attackers at today's event were accompanied by – and appear to have been encouraged by – the religious authorities from the Georgian Orthodox Church. 

According to media reports, on Thursday the Church's highest authority, Patriarch Ilia II, called on the authorities to ban the LGBTI rights event, saying it would be "an insult" to Georgian tradition. 

Amnesty International noted that this is the second consecutive year that police in Tbilisi have failed to protect LGBTI activists from violent attacks by Orthodox groups inspired by such intolerance. 

“It is becoming a dangerous trend in Georgia to condone and leave unpunished the acts of violence against religious and sexual minorities if they are perpetrated by the Orthodox religious clergy or their followers. It is simply unacceptable for the authorities to continue to allow attacks in the name of religion or on the basis of anyone's real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Dalhuisen. 

“It was clear from last year’s events, as well as this year’s announcements for the planned counter-demonstrations, that violence was to be expected. The police appeared to have been woefully unprepared and failed once again to ensure that LGBTI activists could exercise their right to freedom of assembly and expression. 

“By failing to take effective measures and hold these accountable to justice, the Georgian authorities are allowing the intolerance and impunity to grow and fester. They must improve their policing of peaceful demonstrations in future and ensure that this is not allowed to happen again,” Dalhuisen added. more

I think some of those priest particularly should be arrested, for at least inciting hate and violence. When we had the Muslim looneys go bananas here in Sydney the other month there were many arrests made in the following days using video evidence caught from the scenes of violence. Among them were leaders of Muslim churches here in Sydney.