December 02, 2024

Stop the Parties!


Stop the Parties!
Partygoers in Arma nightclub holding their hands behind their necks during the raids. Shot, Telegram

On November 30, while Muscovites were celebrating the end of the week, police forces and OMON raided three Moscow nightclubs as part of a "fight against LGBT propaganda." Dozens of people were detained and taken away in trucks.

At 1:30 AM, police broke into the club Mono. Then they forced attendees into paddy wagons and took them away. According to Ostorozhno, Novosty, the venue had hosted drag queens in the past, but no special events were happening the night of the raids. The club representatives said, "We are having a mask show!"

At 2:00 AM in Arma Club, formerly known as Mutabor, security forces forced partygoers to sit down on the floor and hold their hands behind their heads. A woman told MSK1.RU that women were let go early while men were thoroughly searched. Some attendees were forced to remain on the ground for up to three hours. The partygoers were interrogated about where they lived and worked and if they had consumed illegal substances. An unknown number of people were detained and sent for medical evaluations. Paddy wagons were spotted near the venue.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs for Moscow said that a club on Skladochnaya Street was "promoting LGBT ideology," but no authority has corroborated this. Equipment, weapons, and "other items relevant to making a procedural decision" were seized during the disco's inspection. The club also sold alcohol without a permit. It was later revealed that the venue was Inferno. Ita Cherkesova, a Moscow Deputy from the Communist Party, claimed Inferno held loud "trans parties." The rumor spread that the club Simach was also raided, but its representatives said the night proceeded as usual. 

Police raided the clubs in Moscow exactly a year after the nonexistent "International LGBT movement" was declared an extremist movement by the Russian Supreme Court. These incidents come just a few days after a raid on a queer nightclub in Voronezh.

You Might Also Like

Putin Still Popular
  • October 13, 2024

Putin Still Popular

Breaking News: A state-funded study finds Putin's public support is still high.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955