A conservative Russian lawmaker is threatening legal action against American pop star Lady Gaga for allegedly promoting gay rights to minors during a concert in St. Petersburg, Russia on Sunday night.
Vitaly Milonov, a member of the ruling United Russia party in the St Petersburg assembly and the architect of a city ordinance that bans gay “propaganda,” accused the singer of breaking the law at the beginning of her show, reported Reuters.
Lady Gaga, arriving in St. Petersburg, Russia on Dec. 7.
Photo via Lady Gaga on Facebook.
Lady Gaga, who has long campaigned for gay rights in the U.S., was accused of using her first appearance in Russia to show her support for LGBT people in the country.
“We saw that in addition to music, songs and such, there were direct calls for 12-year-old citizens to support the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community,” Milonov charged.
Speaking through a translator from the stage, Gaga reportedly called for respect for gay rights, saying: “Lady Gaga wants to say that she expects respect from others – she’s not here to offend anyone’s religion or faith, she’s here to unite us.”
Offstage, Gaga said that her managers had received a call threatening her with arrest or a $50,000 fine she made any comments regarding gay rights, Reuters cited local media as saying.
Milonov said he plans to “contact prosecutors and the law enforcement agencies to carry out a thorough investigation of the situation,” according to Life News, a Kremlin-friendly tabloid.
“When people tell kids ‘you must support sexual minorities’, that can create a false equivalence for them between traditional and non-traditional relationships,” he reportedly said.
Prior to the concert, Milonov had unsuccessfully attempted to bar anyone under 18 year old from attending.
Last month, a St Petersburg court dismissed a $10 million lawsuit against Madonna initiated by Milonov and a group of anti-gay activists for allegedly violating the same anti-gay “propaganda” law during a concert in August.
Madonna responded by calling the city ordinance a “ridiculous atrocity.”
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What IS Lady Gaga promoting?
looks like doby the house elf will be upset again
Is this one a repeat?
probably same clowns that had that feminist band sent to prison
What a monster woman!
I’m having deja vu- Pussy Riot will get arrested in a second.
Patrick – equality, tolerance and respect.
Accused lol like its a crime. Sick bastards ironicallhy they think gays are the sick ones
John, you clearly did not get the joke I was making. Edgar Allen Poe Paradox.
Funny. Madonna was being accused of this not too long ago. Those people need to start getting their heads out of their asses and face reality. Big time.
Oh fuck them, didn’t they do the same to Madonna!
oh this is going to end well :|
*facepalm*
Russia is a Fascist state
And that’s bad how??
Madonna already did this.
Not so surprising seeing as how Russia is following in the footsteps of every single Islamic nation on the planet as well as Uganda in fight against the “homosexual agenda”.
Good for her! Putin is a MF
Awesome!
AND!?
*smh* at criticism.
Huge cat fight b/w Madonna and her diva rival Gaga in the cell…that would be hawt…
First Madonna, now Lady Gaga………..Thank you!!!!!!
First Madonna now Gaga? Hey Russia…chillax
The way Russia is behaving makes me wish we would have nuked their asses back in the 80s when we had the chance.
Way to go gal…… did I say u love you for that
Accused? Haha, try I’m sure she was, only thing i like about her to be honest.
No shit!
‘Accused’ ? What a give away word !
Russia is no better than Iran on LGBT rights. Awful place.