Gay picket at Castro pro-Putin Russian Church

Who: BoycottRussianVodka.com and Gays Without Borders
What: Picket line and speak out
Where: St Nicholas Cathedral (pictured)
Location: 2005 - 15th Street, between Church and Market Streets
Date: Sunday, August 25, 2013
When: 11:00 AM

Protesters will peaceably challenge the Russian Orthodox Church in San Francisco over its support for Russia's anti-homosexual propaganda law that has led to rising violence and anti-LGBT bigotry in that country.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill I, who lives in Moscow, is a leading proponent of the law. Patriarch Kirill is a longtime supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two leaders both strongly back the recently enacted anti-gay propaganda law that bans any pro-gay statement or demonstrations in public or private and on the Internet. The law, which was enacted in June, has drawn international condemnation.

Speaking in the English-language Moscow Times on July 21, Patriarch Kirill said of same-sex marriage, "Those who are true to their conscience in fighting these minority-imposed laws are subject to repression. It's a very dangerous sign of the apocalypse."

This action is designed to show the love and beauty of LGBT people through the display of the rainbow flag, our international symbol of acceptance and respect for our community.

The St. Nicholas Cathedral in the gay Castro district is under the control and direction of Patriarch Kirill, who in December 2010 appointed Father Leonid Kazakov of the St. Petersburg diocese to lead the San Francisco church. Emails and voice mails to the church have not been returned.

On Sunday, August 25, starting at 11:00 am, which is after the worship service at St. Nicholas' church, members of the LGBT community will speak outside the church on the public sidewalk for acceptance and respect for the Russian LGBT community and call for the repeal of the anti-gay law. Rainbow flags will be displayed on the sidewalk.

Community organizers Robbie Sweeny of BoycottRussianVodka.com and Michael Petrelis of Gays Without Borders are coordinating the picket line and speak out.