Nine Russian activists claimed they were offended by her public campaign to support gay rights during her August 9 concert.
- Aug 20, 2012
AceShowbiz - Last week, Madonna delivered a fiery speech that supports gay rights amid violence threats to her concert in Russia. Some Russian activists have launched a millions-of-dollars lawsuit against her, claiming they were offended by her support for gay rights during the August 9 concert in St. Petersburg.
Madonna was crossing the law passed by Russian government in February that makes it illegal to promote homosexuality to minors. During her concert which was attended by children as young as 12, she said, "The gay community here, and all around the world, have the same rights, to be treated with dignity, with respect, with tolerance, with compassion, with love."
Alexander Pochuyev, a lawyer representing the nine activists, said the lawsuit was filed on Friday, August 17, naming Madonna, the concert organizer and the venue, SKK Peterburgsky, as defendants. They were asking for damages totaling 333 million rubles aka $10.5 million.
Pochuyev also said they were using modern method to defend their rights despite the accusation that they live in Middle Ages for banning gay rights. "No one is burning anyone at the stake or carrying out an Inquisition. Modern civilization requires tolerance and respect for different values," the lawyer argued.
