Russian police have shut down the shoot for Pussy Riot’s music video for their new song “БЕСИТ / RAGE.” The police cited the country’s laws against the promotion of “gay propaganda” as their reasons for shutting down the shoot, which, according to Pussy Riot, lost them $15,000. The feminist and pro-LGBT band have released a statement saying that they will be filming the video anyway and have asked for donations and support from fans.

Pussy Riot released a video and statement about the incident on Instagram, showing footage of the police telling them their actions are illegal and stating that they were accused of extremism. Members say that the song is “dedicated to a pain that we – feminist and queer people – feel being the enemies of the state.” This recent event certainly grounds these words in reality.

Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist and LGBT collective that was founded in 2011 and is famous for their guerrilla performances. The group, whose numbers are unspecified as anyone is welcome to join, reached international fame in 2012 when they performed inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. This led to three members (Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich) being arrested. They were found guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hate and two went on the serve sentences in penal colonies. It is worth pointing out the original building of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was pulled down in 1931 by the Russian State, who are now defending it.

The law that allowed the police to shut down the shoot was introduced as part of an addition to child protection laws in 2013. This new addition now makes the distribution of alleged “gay propaganda” to minors a federal offence. However, in reality, this legislation is just a smokescreen for state-sponsored homophobia and acts as a way to legitimize the stifling of human rights. Sadly, it seems that public opinion in Russia echoes this sentiment as Pussy Riot does not receive a warm welcome from Russian citizens. A 2019 poll found that 87% of citizens in the Russian Federation were against same-sex marriage. However, this poll was carried out by the Russian Public Opinion Foundation, which is state-owned and government-run and so the accuracy of its findings is questionable.

International support for the band and their activism, as well as coverage and recognition of the discrimination they face, works to add more voices to the movement for LGBT rights in Russia. Support for such prominent figures is also support for the unseen victims of LGBT hate.

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