Moscow gays trick police, stage two pride actions

Faced with Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's ban on gay pride activities for the third year in a row, about 35 Moscow activists misled police into going to the wrong location and then successfully staged two surprise actions May 31.

As city police and riot police blockaded City Hall, activists pulled off a demonstration nearby at the Tchaikovsky statue outside the Moscow Conservatory.

They unfurled a banner and flags, spoke with trusted journalists who accompanied them to the location, and chanted, "Tchaikovsky was also gay," "No to homophobes" and "Equal rights for LGBT"

The 12:45 p.m. action lasted about 15 minutes, after which the group staged a brief march down the street, …