Russia: So Brave!

A picture of an Italian journalist holding up a flag saying 'Love Is Love' in Russia has gone viral.

In late October, Enrico Procentese, an Italian photographer and travel blogger, was in Russia on behalf of Conde Nast Traveller.

He was inspired by British actress Tilda Swinton, who held up a gay pride flag in front of St Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square in July 2013.

'I believe promoting awareness through messages like "Love Is Love" is the only way to change this attitude in Russia as well as in other countries of the world,' he said to the Moscow Times.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed in a law banning ‘gay propaganda’ in June, supposedly a measure to protect traditional Russian values.

Since then it has been strongly enforced. Even a small display such as Procentese’s can be punished by deportation from the country, a fine, and 15 days in prison.

'Taking the photograph was not easy, since the police immediately stopped me and asked me to give them the flag I was carrying,' Procentese said...

Gay Star News.

Take that Putin!

See Enrico's banal non-specific slogan on a tea-towel and tremble!

It does seem rather odd though that his companion appears to have neglected to take a photograph of the police intervening, don't you think?
And, presuming this really happened and they could read English, how would the police have known this was a gay protest?

And if even "a small display such as Procentese’s can be punished by deportation from the country, a fine, and 15 days in prison", then why didn't the police charge him?

And why isn't Moscow Times in trouble with the authorities for publishing this photo and article?

It's all so very confusing.
One might think you could publish any old bollocks about the GAYS in Russia and get away with it.

"Taxi for Ms Swinton!"

Update: This nonsense even made it into The Independent, famed for having the lamest gay coverage of any broadsheet and for electing Tilda Swinton Number One Friend To LGBT People in the Pink List 2013!!!