The ‘war’ will go on, supporters of far-right anti-feminist & LGBT ‘Male State’ declare after Russia bans it as ‘extremist’ group

Supporters of the right-wing, anti-LGBT hate group ‘Male State’ have said that they will continue their fight after a court ruling handed down an ‘extremist’ designation to the organization and banned its activities in Russia.

Moscow’s Gazeta news site reported on Monday that supporters of the now-sanctioned group ‘Male State’ have said that they will not down tools in their campaign against what they deem to be the promotion of ‘non-traditional’ lifestyles. Instead, they say that the organization might simply begin to operate under a different name and among an exclusive circle of people.

According to a source, the group had expected that they would be shut down after attracting ire from powerful people. However, they remain committed to their purported fight against what they see as “filth in society,” including targeting companies that feature multiculturalism or LGBT+ iconography in their advertising.

Earlier this week, a court in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod ruled that the organization met the criteria of an “extremist” group, meaning its operations and activities will now be banned in the country. A lawsuit against Male State’s actions was brought before the court earlier this month. However, the group’s founder, Vladislav Pozdnyakov, failed to appear at the hearing to answer the case, and is believed to currently be living abroad.

An associate of the group’s leader told local news that he hopes the outfit will disregard the legal ruling and continue to fight for the rights of white men.

‘Male State’ made the news in August, when Pozdnyakov told supporters to harass companies it deemed tolerant to “non-traditional” ideas, including the YobiDoyobi sushi chain, after it featured a black man surrounded by white women in one of its advertisements. He also took aim at another Japanese restaurant, Tanuki, for including a rainbow in promotional material, and attacked grocery store chain VkusVill for a marketing video featuring a lesbian couple.

The defendant’s lawyer, Dzambolat Gabaraev, said during the court session on Monday that the aim of Male State had been to oppose the spread of LGBT propaganda. “Why has our society received such an increase in the number of supporters of non-traditional sexual relations in 50 years? At some point, we missed a moment of propaganda. Male State is fighting that propaganda,” he said.

Following the court’s ruling, ex-State Duma deputy, human rights activist and journalist, Oksana Pushkina, expressed her delight at the decision, saying that it is a step in the right direction for combating hate within Russian society.

“It’s one of the optimistic pieces of news of the last month. But the final victory will be when such ‘Pozdnyakovs’ are not respected in our society, and misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia and chauvinism will disappear. It is clear that it will not be soon. But the water wears away the stone. A start has been made,” she told Gazeta.ru.

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