Russian Protest Against Anti-Gay Law Turns Violent

Militant Orthodox activists have attacked members of Russia's embattled gay community protesting against a planned law banning "gay propaganda". Russia's Parliament is to consider a federal law that makes public events and dissemination of information on the LGBT community to minors punishable by fines of up to $16,000. Lawmakers, officials and Russia's dominant Orthodox church have hailed the law saying it will boost Russia's dwindling birth rates. A dozen LGBT rights campaigners gathered Tuesday in front of the parliament building in Moscow to protest the law by kissing each other. But a similar number of young men interrupted the protest, assaulting the campaigners, taking away and tearing down their posters and shouting obscenities at them.