On September 29, the Syktyvkar administration denied the request of the LGBT activists on the action "Coming out in Syktyvkar". The organizers of the action planned to "devalue" the concept of coming out as recognition only as belonging to LGBT people. According to officials, the march could create dangers and obstacles for pedestrians and vehicles. The town hall did not offer an alternative platform.
The activists planned a march on October 11. They offered the town hall three routes, but the officials refused as the streets were central with an intensive traffic.
"We specified the number of participants — 99, and the refusal stated that the action would prevent observance of the road regulations," said one of the organizers Nina Popugaeva. "Now we will try to agree on a smaller number of people. If they refuse us again, we will appeal to the court."
In the community "Coming out in Syktyvkar | 11.10" in the social network "VKontakte" the organizers described the goals of the march as follows:
"According to Wikipedia, a coming out is a process of open and voluntary recognition by a person of his belonging to a sexual or gender minority, or the result of such a process. We believe that this is wrong, and any recognition in any part of the person can and should be considered a coming out. In other words, our action is designed to devalue the LGBT coming out. Therefore, on October 11, we will come out and admit that we are vegetarians, artists, gays, deputies, tea without sugar lovers and anyone else."
Nina Popugaeva and another activist Vyacheslav Slyusarev already held actions in Syktyvkar on the problems of the LGBT community, and met with opposition from the authorities. During single pickets in honor of the International Day Against Homophobia, Bifobia and Transphobia on May 17, police detained them and brought them to the department without explanation. On July 17, Syktyvkar city court fined Slyusarev for disobedience to the police for 500 rubles.
Denis Dolgopolov, «7x7»