Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Gay-rights activist detained at Olympic Park

Olympics Gay Activist Arrested

David Goldman / AP

Vladimir Luxuria, a former Communist lawmaker in the Italian parliament and prominent crusader for transgender rights, is detained by police after entering the Shayba Arena at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 17, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.

SOCHI, Russia — An Italian gay-rights activist has been detained by Russian police as she entered Shayba Arena at the Olympic Park to watch a hockey game.

Vladimir Luxuria, a former Communist lawmaker in the Italian parliament who has become a prominent transgender rights crusader and television personality, was led away by four men while shouting "I have a ticket."

A few minutes later she was put in a car and driven away.

She had been walking around the Olympic Park for about two hours in a rainbow-colored outfit and a huge headdress. She had been shouting "Gay is OK" in English and Russian.

Luxuria earlier said she was detained on Sunday evening by police who told her she should not wear clothes with slogans supporting gay rights. Police denied detaining her.

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