Moscow forbids gay pride parade

MOSCOW - A planned gay rights parade will not be able to take place in Moscow after a ruling by its mayor, Yuri Lushkov, the Itar Tass news agency reported Monday.

Lushkov, who has taken anti-gay stances in the past, called the Gay Parade a “blasphemy” as he announced that he would not let it go forward as planned in Europe’s biggest city.

“We’ve never approved this kind of parade before and we’re not going to do it in the future,” said Lushkov, who said he was exercising the will of Muscovites. He also pronounced rallies and demonstrations by gay and lesbian groups as “Satanic dealings”.

Moscow police have come under criticism in recent years for brutality in breaking up unsanctioned demonstrations by gay groups, most recently in May.