A St. Petersburg City Hall deputy said that a gay rights activist who staged a one-man picket at the city's Dvortsovaya Ploshchad earlier in August must be charged with extremist activity.
Vitaly Milonov, who co-authored the highly criticized law banning "homosexual propaganda" in St. Petersburg, said that activist Kirill Kalugin's poster that read "Sodom in every home" was extremist, BaltInfo reported Tuesday.
According to Milonov, Kalugin used the poster at multiple LGBT rallies and posted it online.
"He either mentally ill, or is paid [for his activity]. I'm afraid it's both," Milonov said.
Milonov said that Kalugin was under the authorities' scrutiny and that charges against him were being prepared.
Kalugin said he didn't consider his activity to be extremist, adding that his poster was simply calling for the free spread of information about LGBT in Russia.
He said that he was not frightened by Milonov's statement and that he won't leave the country and seek political asylum if charges are brought against him.
