Moscow voted world’s unfriendliest city
The Russian capital topped a recent poll of the globe’s unfriendliest cities.
It is no surprise that many LGBT people are in no rush to choose Moscow as their next holiday destination – but now, the capital city of Russia, has been voted the world’s most unfriendly city.
The poll was conducted by Travel + Leisure, who said of the results: “We suspect the city’s notoriously bad traffic and general ‘aloofness’ of the people contributed to its low ranking, as well as its culinary scene, which was also ranked last in this year’s poll.”
200,000 readers of the publication were given a list of 266 cities to choose from.
Other cities to have made the top ten include Cannes in France and Beijing in China – plus six US cities including Las Vegas, New York City and Atlantic City.
On New York City – known as an infamously LGBT friendly destination – one respondent said: “People are not exactly the kindest to strangers.
“New York has everything — just don’t ask a person in the street to help you find it.”
Earlier this year, several gay rights activists were arrested by police after attempting to stage a gay pride rally in Moscow.
One of the activists attempted to unfurl a rainbow flag as they were arrested by police.
During the incident, around 30 counter-demonstrators threw eggs at those participating in the pride parade.
It is understood that the rally was not authorised in advanced, and that a Moscow court had banned them from demonstrating.
Gay rights activist Nikolai Alexeyev tweeted saying he was “beaten” at the event, and that the fingers on his left hand were “probably” broken.
Gay pride parades are often rejected by authorities in Russia, and LGBT people face persecution.
In 2013, President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law which federally bans the “promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships.”