On beyond homophobia: Russian police raid ‘kissing party‘
Anti-LGBT raid targeted Moscow party-goers with ‘unusual appearance’.
In a nation that is increasingly hostile to anything other than traditional heterosexuality, Russian police raided a Moscow nightclub’s “kissing party“ early Sunday, holding revelers face-down for up to four hours while targeting attendees with an “unusual appearance”.
Police took away one partygoer’s pink belt with an explanation that he was “looking too unmanly”.
The raid continues the pattern of intensifying levels of persecution of sexual variety since Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the “international LGBT movement“ in 2023.
The Kissing Club, the organizers of the party, posted a description of themselves and the events on Telegram:
Our events are like a dating site, only in real life.
We turn meeting new people into a game – we offer a variety of activities that help reduce shyness and awkwardness when interacting with strangers:
• cards with simple tasks (e.g., “come up and compliment someone’s hair”)
• introductions led by hosts
• board games
• quests
• dance floor
• master classes
We ask guests to wear bright and eye-catching costumes to create a festive atmosphere.
📍What’s not included at our events:
💗 We do not promote non-traditional values, and we prohibit actions and interactions that violate Russian law.
💗 We are very demanding of our guests’ behavior and well-being and are categorically against the use and distribution of drugs, as well as excessive alcohol consumption.
💗 There is no sex of any kind at our events, and we ask that you avoid and tactfully interrupt overly sensual and provocative interactions.
The raid
At precisely 1:00 AM, masked men burst into the event and began forcing all the guests to the floor. After speaking with law enforcement officials, it became clear that the raid was aimed at finding LGBT propaganda and drugs.
The raid ended around 5:00 AM, all guests were released, none were charged, and no one was detained.
The only charge against the organizer was failure to notify [authorities in advance about] the public event. We acknowledge this violation. Indeed, due to the change of venue, we were unable to prepare the notification in a timely manner and are prepared to pay the corresponding fine.
Offer of counseling to party-goers
If after the raid on [the night of] October 18th you’re feeling depressed, anxious, have unusual body sensations, or just want to talk things out, write to @KissBarParents We’ll provide you with a psychologist who can make this experience a little easier. Naturally, it’s free. If you feel you need support but for any reason feel uncomfortable talking to psychologists from the community, you can contact the Russian Red Cross Federal Hotline toll-free at 8 (800) 250-18-59. Open daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Kissing Club’s viewpoint
Our project is entirely focused on helping people who want to meet new people, start relationships, and families, as well as those looking for a partner or just friends.
We can only speculate as to why this all happened. The bright costumes, the lack of an address, and the name with the word “kisses” might have conjured up associations with a completely different kind of party for some. But costumes are essential to the overall festive atmosphere.
… And the “kisses” in the name doesn’t mean everyone kisses everyone else. That’s not true. Kissing is a symbol of a relationship, the first physical act that shows people have become close. We’ve never hidden from anyone; we have absolutely nothing to hide. We’re always open to dialogue and ready to explain ourselves if we’ve been mistaken for someone we’re not. …
We kindly ask you to share these messages as widely as possible. We want to continue this project, helping people find great people, make friends, and create relationships. And we really don’t want someone’s monstrous mistake and superficial view of the parties we host to lead to false information being spread about us, which would lead to the closure of the Kissing Club.
Media coverage
Police raid ‘kissing party’ at Moscow club in fresh crackdown on nightlife venues
Moscow police raided a self-styled “kissing party” at a nightclub in the eastern part of the Russian capital early on Sunday morning, in the latest instance of the authorities cracking down on what they deem to be “non-traditional” events, Telegram channel Baza has reported.
According to Baza, the police claimed that the raid was drug-related, though officers reportedly singled out party-goers with an “unusual appearance”, with one attendee having his pink belt taken away for “looking too unmanly”.
Kremlin-aligned channel REN TV said that the grounds for the raid had been suspected breaches of Russia’s law against “LGBT propaganda” among club-goers, though this has not been confirmed by any official sources.
The venue, Graphite, hosted a party organised by Kissbarclub, which describes itself as “a dating club that organises lively parties to help people meet in a pleasant atmosphere”, encouraging party-goers to kiss strangers at so-called “kissing parties”.
Footage shared by Baza and REN-TV showed revellers being placed face down on the floor, with police holding people in the club for up to four hours. The organisers reportedly face misdemeanor charges for holding a mass event without notifying the authorities.
Moscow’s once world-famous nightlife scene has changed dramatically in the past few years amid an increase in police raids on “non-traditional venues” and the growing persecution of queer people since Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the “international LGBT movement” in 2023.
Armed police have been known to terrify revellers, forcing them to lie face down on the floor, sometimes for hours at a time, and even beating and humiliating party-goers while checking their documents and phones.
