Gay pride marchers detained in Moscow

MOSCOW, May 16 (UPI) -- Police in Moscow Saturday detained about 40 people, who allegedly had taken part in an unsanctioned gay pride parade, officials said.

RIA Novosti reported the head of the Gay Russia project, Nikolai Alekseyev, U.S. gay rights activist Andy Thayer and Briton Peter Tatchell were among those taken into custody.

"They were detained not for breaking the law, but as a warning that holding events unsanctioned by the authorities is unacceptable. After a cautionary talk and establishing all their identities, the detainees will be released," a police spokesman said.

Moscow police warned Friday that they would not allow an unsanctioned parade to take place. Parade organizers said they would go ahead with plans to hold a "Slavic gay parade" any way.

They urged foreigners attending the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow to join in.

The press secretary for Moscow mayor had said this month "there has never been and never will be a gay parade in Moscow."

Activists picked the Eurovision event for a demonstration because it traditionally has a large gay following and its presence in Moscow provided them a good opportunity to highlight cultural repression in the country, the BBC said.

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzkhov has called gay rights parades "Satanic." Russia has seen many physical attacks on gays, who are also threatened with being fired from their jobs and shunned by their families, the British broadcaster said.