Police Raid Multiple Moscow Gay Bars

In a significant crackdown on LGBTQ+ venues, Moscow police raided multiple bars and nightclubs early Saturday, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling that deemed the 'international LGBT movement' an extremist organization. Videos from the raids at Arma and Mono nightclubs reveal patrons being forced to lie on the floor while riot police conducted searches, with many detained for several hours. The police also issued military call-up papers to some individuals and interrogated them about their ties to the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, the director of a travel agency catering to LGBTQ+ customers was arrested for allegedly organizing trips that promote non-traditional sexual values. Rights advocates decry this intensified repression of the LGBTQ+ community in Russia, characterized by widespread arrests and prosecutions under anti-LGBT propaganda laws.