Russia has once again made headlines for its strict stance on the LGBTQ movement, as a court in the city of Yakutsk in the Russian Far East has fined a local restaurant and nightclub for hosting parties it described as “offensive” and “non-traditional.” The troubling trend of targeting LGBTQ individuals and establishments continues, leaving many to wonder about the future of inclusivity and acceptance in the nation.
Chinese restaurant and nightclub Number One were fined 250,000 rubles (€2,350) for “violations of public order” and spreading the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” by the court of Yakutsk, which found the club to have hosted events that included “citizens being naked” and which were “offensive to human dignity.”
However, The club’s management has partially accepted their guilt but denied that they had ever promoted “non-traditional sexual relations.”
The Yakutsk city administration, addressing the incident, said that it had sent reports of civil violations at the venue to both the regional Prosecutor’s Office and the police, citing performances by “transgender women and men of non-traditional orientation from Thailand” that had been taking place at Number One since 26 December.
The Club’s manager was arrested on 2 January alongside the members of staff who were working when law enforcement visited the club.
This incident is not an isolated one. Russian police have been ramping up their efforts to target LGBTQ establishments, with several bars and nightclubs in Moscow being raided under laws criminalizing “LGBT propaganda.”
On 1 January 2025, a police raid on a nightclub in Tula, Russia, resulted in fines for several party-goers who were deemed to be “looking too gay.” At least seven people were fined for “trying to arouse interest in non-traditional sexual relations.” Two detainees were fined 50,000 rubles (£350) each.
Additionally, on 30 November 2024, Russian police raided several bars and nightclubs in Moscow under laws criminalizing “LGBT propaganda.” During these raids, smartphones, laptops, and video cameras were confiscated, and club-goers had their documents checked by officers.
Since the Russian Supreme Court declared the non-existent “international LGBT movement” to be “extremist” in November 2023, all LGBT activity has been effectively banned in Russia, and law enforcement has regularly raided queer-friendly nightclubs across the country.
These events illustrate the increasing pressure and legal repercussions faced by LGBTQ individuals and establishments in Russia, reflecting the government’s stance on traditional values and the enforcement of anti-LGBTQ laws.
