Russian Activists to Sue Madonna for $10 Mln over Concert.

Russian Activists to Sue Madonna for $10 Mln over Concert.(RN).A group of Russian activists are preparing to file a $10.5 million lawsuit against U.S. pop diva Madonna over what they say was the “moral damage” caused during her recent concert in St. Petersburg. Activists from the Union of Russian Citizens, the People’s Assembly civil group and the New Great Russia Party will file the lawsuit with the Moscow District Court in St. Petersburg on Friday, a spokeswoman for the Union of Russian Citizens’ Moscow branch told RIA Novosti. “We demand that she pay for moral damage suffered by St. Petersburg residents as a result of her actions during the show on August 9,” Daria Dedova said. “We must defend our right to normal cultural life without propaganda of values and views that contradict the Russian culture,” she added.
Lawyer Alexander Pochuyev explained that the “moral damage” was a result of “psychological stress and emotional shock” experienced not only by those who attended Madonna’s show – during which he said the 53-year-old mother of four “trampled down” an Orthodox cross – but also by many internet users who have seen videos from the concert posted online and read news about the show.
 “While speaking of tolerance, she abuses the feelings of believers,” the lawyer said. Madonna should also bear responsibility for what his defenders believe was the “open promotion of homosexuality” during the concert, the lawyer said.
During her show at St. Peterburg’s largest concert hall, which was attended by 25,000 people, Madonna complained about a “growing intolerance” in the world and called for solidarity with gays and lesbians. She had pink armbands distributed in the audience and asked her fans to raise their hands in a sign of support for homosexuals.
Madonna also spoke out in support of all-female group Pussy Riot. Three members of the band could be jailed on Friday over a February protest in Moscow’s largest cathedral against Orthodox Church support for Vladimir Putin ahead of the March 4 presidential polls that returned him to the Kremlin for a third term. A group of activists from the St.Petersburg-based civil group Parental Control earlier asked police to probe Madonna’s actions, claiming that the concert was attended by children as young as 12 and accusing the singer of violating a local law prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality among minors. The activists have pledged to spend the money they hope to receive from Madonna on charity projects for children and families.Read the full story here.

Madonna Breaks 'Gay Propaganda' Law - St. Petersburg Lawmaker

Madonna Breaks 'Gay Propaganda' Law - St. Petersburg Lawmaker.(RN).A city councilor in St. Petersburg has accused U.S. pop star Madonna of violating a controversial local law banning "homosexual propaganda" during her concert there. Vitaly Milonov, the author of the law, said the city's "public organizations" will take either the singer or gig organizers to court. "We have video footage showing there were 12-year-old children there," Milonov, who belongs to the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, told journalists. But the organizers PMI group said the tickets clearly stated those under 18 were not advised to attend the concert.
During her show in St. Petersburg on Thursday, Madonna told her fans that homosexuals had the same rights as anyone elese to be treated with dignity and tolerance. She also took off her shirt to reveal the words "No Fear" written across her back. The law, signed by St. Petersburg's governor in March, makes it a crime to "disseminate homosexual propaganda" to minors. It stipulates fines of up to 5,000 rubles ($160) for individuals, 50,000 rubles ($1,600) for officials and up to 500,000 rubles ($16,000) for organizations that violate it. Several politicians and church figures have called for the legislation to be passed at the federal level. Homosexuality was only decriminalized in Russia in 1993, and anti-gay sentiments, including among officials, remain strong. In 2007, former Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov described attempts to hold a Gay Parade in the capital as "satanic." There has never been a sanctioned Gay Parade in Russia. According to a 2010 survey by Russia's independent Levada Center polling agency, 74 percent of respondents said gays and lesbians were "amoral" and "mentally defective," while only 45 percent said they should enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals. Madonna used her Moscow concert on August 7 to speak out in support of three members of the all-female punk group Pussy Riot, on trial for hooliganism.Hmmmm......Free publicity money can't buy this promo.Read the full story here.

Russian deputy PM Rogozin says Madonna tweet was not an insult.

  Russian deputy PM Rogozin with members of The far-right Union of Orthodox Banner -bearers.

Russian deputy PM Rogozin says Madonna tweet was not an insult.(HD).A Russian deputy prime minister has said he did not insult Madonna on Twitter ahead of her Saint Petersburg concert in which she spoke in defence of gay rights. The outspoken lawmaker, Dmitry Rogozin, tweeted a Russian abbreviation on Wednesday that was widely interpreted as an insult aimed at Madonna. In his tweet, Rogozin used the letter "b", which can sometimes refer to an offensive Russian word for "whore." "Every former b. seeks to lecture everyone on morality as she gets older. Especially during tours and gigs abroad," Rogozin tweeted. "Either take off your cross, or put on your knickers," he added.
After media outlets picked up the comments, the former NATO envoy said on Facebook on Thursday that he meant no offense and the abbreviation could refer to many things including "goddess" or "ballerina". "And they immediately linked my comments with the so-called 'Madonna' (goddamn her) even though I did not say a word about her." At her Saint Petersburg concert Thursday, Madonna spoke in support of the gay community in an often homophobic nation. She also irked authorities Tuesday when she called for the release of three members of all-girl punk band Pussy Riot, who are on trial for performing a song against President Vladimir Putin at a landmark Moscow church.Hmmmm......A deeply 'religious' man wouldn't use such words.....would he?Read the full story here.