Multiple partygoers have been fined for ‘looking too gay’ after Russian police raided a nightclub and arrested several people – one man avoided fines by claiming he was a ‘goth’
Multiple people have received fines for “looking too gay” due to their choice of outfits after a police raid on a Russian nightclub. In February eight people were arrested following a police raid on a nightclub in Tula, 120 miles south of Moscow.
Seven people were reportedly hit with charges for “trying to arouse interest in non-traditional sexual relations,” according to independent Russian media outlet Verstka this offence has been outlawed in Russia for a decade.
These charges are usually raised at individuals publishing pro-LGBTQ+ material and not usually at people wearing what authorities consider to be “unmanly” clothing.
Reports claim that one man wore “crosses of black tape glued to his nipples” and “women’s style corset” on his “naked body”.
Another reportedly wore “bright orange hair” with “red face tattoos” alongside “pink socks” and an unbuttoned kimono. One man was described as wearing a crop-top, black leather shorts and fishnet tights.
A total of eight people were detained, however, only seven received the fine. The eighth man was able to avoid the fine by arguing he was a goth; justifying his eyebrow piercings, turquoise-dyed hair and his black T-shirt that was reportedly rolled up to his chest.
According to Verstka not all of the court’s decisions have been made public, but the outlet has reported that two of the detainees received fines of £350 (50,000 roubles).
These arrests come after the Kremlin’s continued anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown to promote “traditional values” and “propaganda promoting a child-free lifestyle”.
Last year Russian TV star Anastasia Ivleeva was fined nearly £9million for “moral compensation” hosting a controversial almost “naked party.” A Moscow court ruled that this event was also aimed at “propagating non-traditional sexual relationships”.
Verstka reports that in 2024 a minimum of 131 cases of “LGBT” propaganda were sent to court in Russia and from that at least 71 people received fines ranging from £350 (50,000 roubles) to £1,400 (200,000 roubles).