Moscow police conducted raids on two gay clubs in the Russian capital, detaining more than 50 individuals, according to reports from pro-Russian Telegram channels MSK1 and SHOT on Saturday.
One of the raids targeted the Central Station club in downtown Moscow, allegedly as part of a campaign to “fight drug trafficking.” Videos from the scene depict officers forcing patrons to the ground, with some made to stand against walls while being aggressively searched.
At the time of the raid, Central Station was hosting an event for National Coming Out Day, a worldwide observance on 11 October in support of the LGBTQ+ community. The police arrived around 1 a.m., with around 200 people present. SHOT reported that during the raid, more than 50 individuals were detained. Additionally, police raided another queer venue, Three Monkeys, located in central Moscow. The current location of the detainees remains unknown.
According to SHOT, these raids were prompted by “civilian complaints,” with local Moscow residents reportedly accusing Three Monkeys of indecent behaviour, including allegations of men dressed as women and same-sex kissing. Another pro-Russian channel, Mash, suggested that both venues could be closed for “discrediting the Russian army.” This allegation stems from claims that drag queens at Central Station mocked Russia’s military operations in Ukraine during a show.
Both Central Station and Three Monkeys are operated by the same ownership and are among Moscow’s most prominent queer venues. Central Station has a history of being targeted, briefly closing after a series of violent incidents following the introduction of Russia’s anti-LGBT laws in 2014. As Russia intensified its crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community in late 2023, labelling the “international LGBT movement” an extremist organisation, the Central Station venue in St. Petersburg was forced to shut down.
