Nightclubs and bars are often places where people can let go of the outside world, dance, and feel free — at least for a little while. But in Moscow this past weekend, that freedom was shattered.
Police stormed at least three nightlife venues in what they claim is part of a campaign against so-called LGBT “propaganda.”
Videos from the raids show a chilling scene, according to Digi24.
Clubgoers are sitting silently on the dance floor as officers bark orders at them. In one incident, the director of a travel agency, “Men Travel,” was arrested.
Police accused him of organizing a New Year’s trip to Egypt for individuals promoting “non-traditional sexual values.”
A Year of Escalation
The Russian Interior Ministry has justified the raids as part of its broader effort to enforce a law passed a year ago.
That law, which followed a ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court, officially banned the “international LGBT movement.”
This decision set the stage for intensified repression, leading to arrests and criminal charges against members of the LGBT community.
The raids come at a time when LGBTQ+ individuals in Russia face increasing hostility. Already marginalized by society, they are now being targeted more openly by state forces under the guise of fighting “propaganda.”
A Climate of Fear
The nightclub raids are just the latest example of how Russia’s policies are intruding on personal freedoms.
Advocacy groups have long warned that the rhetoric of “protecting traditional values” is being weaponized against LGBTQ+ people.
These measures have not only forced many into hiding but have also created a climate where any association with queer identity is treated as a criminal act.
For the LGBTQ+ community in Russia, spaces of joy and safety are growing increasingly rare. And with each new raid, the message from the government becomes even clearer: they are not welcome.
