Hundreds march in Birmingham against Chechnya gay murders

Around 200 of protesters have marched through the streets of Birmingham city centre today in solidarity with LGBT individuals in Chechnya, who have been reportedly rounded up by Government officials and persecuted in the Eastern European country.

Standing in support of the victims of what has been described as State brutality, campaigners marched from the LGBT Centre in Holloway Circus to Victoria Square, where they gathered for a protest rally condemning the alleged human rights abuses.

Protesters targeted Russian President Vladmir Putin, for supporting the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's campaign against gay men (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — Protesters targeted Russian President Vladmir Putin, for supporting the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s campaign against gay men (Photograph: Adam Yosef)

The outcry follows international reports of gay men being arrested, detained, tortured and killed in Chechnya, upon the orders of Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of semi-autonomous republic.

He is said to be using ‘concentration camps‘ to force homosexuals to promise to leave the republic. LGBT rights activists are mounting an effort to evacuate them.

Repressions against the LGBT community reportedly began after an application for a gay rights march in the capital of Grozny.

Protesters wore pink triangles in solidarity with persecuted gay men in Chechnya (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — Protesters wore pink triangles in solidarity with persecuted gay men in Chechnya *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

Reports of gay men being sent to 'concentration camps' in Chechnya has alarmed international activists (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — Reports of gay men being sent to ‘concentration camps’ in Chechnya has alarmed international activists *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

Up to 100 men are said to be held in the camps, and at least three have died. As some British politicians moved to condemn the action, international activists responded to the incarceration with the hashtag #Chechnya100 to raise awareness about the plight of the Chechen men.

Earlier this month, protests were held outside the Russian Embassy in London.

Birmingham LGBT+ allies and supporters gathered in Birmingham to condemn the human rights abuses in Chechnya (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — Birmingham LGBT+ allies and supporters gathered in Birmingham to condemn the human rights abuses in Chechnya *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

Protesters marched with placards and banners through Birmingham city centre, before gathering in Victoria Square for a rally (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — Protesters marched with placards and banners through Birmingham city centre, before gathering in Victoria Square for a rally *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

Called by the city’s LGBT Centre, Love Music Hate Homophobia, and supported by Birmingham Pride, this afternoon’s Birmingham protest consisted of a march through the city, solidarity chants and speeches as home-made banners were held aloft. A large rainbow flag was also unfurled during the rally.

Chants heard during the march included “Leaders of the Chechen state! Stop the killing! Stop the hate!”

Geoff Dexter from Love Music Hate Homophobia spoke at the Birmingham rally (Photograph: Adam Yosef)

In Victoria Square, Geoff Dexter from LGBT+ Against Islamophobia addressed the crowd:

“The disturbing reports from LGBT+ prison camps in Chechnya have horrified all of us. It is a stark reminder that the fight for sexual liberation and the freedom to identify how we choose still has a long way to go. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claims that homosexuals ‘do not even exist’ in Chechnya.

“He is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has overseen draconian and violent clampdowns on LGBT+ people in Russia. The reports from Chechnya of over 100 gay men being rounded up and sent to camps where they are beaten and tortured stirs up nightmarish memories of Hitler’s treatment of homosexuals in the concentration camps.

“Ironically these reports are emerging in the same week that Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied that Hitler used chemical gas on ‘his own people’. Presumably Jewish people, along with LGBT+ people, do not count in the mind of such a rabid anti-Semite and homophobe.

A large LGBT rainbow flag was unfurled in Victoria Square during the solidarity rally (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — A large LGBT rainbow flag was unfurled in Victoria Square during the solidarity rally *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thKU-hl5-uQ]

“Some newspapers have highlighted the fact that the dominant religion in Chechnya is Muslim. The comments from Sean Spicer, the threat from Marine Le Pen in the forthcoming French Presidential elections, and the rise of the far right across Europe should make it clear that discrimination and violence against LGBT+ people is not a feature of one particular religion.

“The whipping up of anti-immigrant rhetoric and Islamophobia by the government and the media must be challenged by all those standing up for any oppressed group. Everything possible should be done to aid those fleeing the camps and persecution in Chechnya.

Around 200 people marched in Birmingham to show support for the victims of recent anti-LGBT human rights abuses in Chechnya (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — Around 200 people marched in Birmingham to show support for the victims of recent anti-LGBT human rights abuses in Chechnya *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

The protest rally was organised by The Birmingham LGBT Centre and Love Music Hate Homophobia, with support from Birmingham Pride (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — The protest rally was organised by The Birmingham LGBT Centre and Love Music Hate Homophobia, with support from Birmingham Pride

“That includes allowing into the UK anyone claiming asylum on the grounds of LGBT+ oppression. Sadly the Tory government has an appalling record of refusing asylum to LGBT+ people who are unable to ‘prove’ that they are homosexual. Theresa May should not be allowed to cry crocodile tears.

“The response to the election of Donald Trump shows that people are not prepared to sit back and let the racists and homophobes go unopposed. We were right to take to the streets then and it is right to take to the streets now.”

David Viney from the Birmingham LGBT Centre shared a passionate speech and poem to express support for victims in Chechnya (Photograph: Adam Yosef)

David Viney from the Birmingham LGBT Centre recited the famous poem ‘First they came…’ byMartin Niemöller:

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

A pro-LGBT rally was held in front of the Council House in Victoria Square, Birmingham (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — A pro-LGBT rally was held in front of the Council House in Victoria Square, Birmingham *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

Protesters march through BIrmingham in support of LGBT rights (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — Protesters march through Birmingham in support of LGBT rights *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

Protesters march through Birmingham city centre in defence of LGBT rights (Photograph: Adam Yosef) — Protesters march through Birmingham city centre in defence of LGBT rights *(Photograph: Adam Yosef)*

Robert Punton from DPAC offered the sentiment that people have a right to live freely and be who they are wherever they are in the world and that we need to stand together in solidarity.

Jenny Austin from the Stand Up To Trump campaign, which will be organising a protest to Trump’s State Visit to the UK later this year, invited participants to take part in a women’s protest to defend abortion rights in Victoria Square on 20th May.