Nightclubs and bars are often places where people can let go of the outside world, dance, and feel free — at least for a little while. But in Moscow this past weekend, that freedom was shattered. Police stormed at least three nightlife venues in what they claim is part of a campaign against so-called LGBT “propaganda.

Police in Moscow have raided multiple bars and arrested the director of a gay travel agency, under laws criminalising "LGBT propaganda", state media reported.

The raids coincide with the one-year anniversary of Russia’s Supreme Court decision to classify the LGBTQ+ movement as an "extremist organization." The ruling followed a years-long effort to suppress LGBTQ+ rights in the country.

As part of a government crackdown on what it calls "LGBT propaganda," Russian police have raided a number of bars and nightclubs in Moscow and arrested a travel agency director.Russian police raided several bars and nightclubs in Moscow early Saturday under laws criminalizing "LGBT propaganda,

Police in Moscow raided multiple bars early Saturday and arrested the director of a travel agency serving LGBTQ+ customers under laws criminalizing “LGBT propaganda,” state media reported. The raids came on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s Supreme Court outlawing the “international LGBT movement,