Feb 5, 2014

One day before the first events of the Sochi Winter Olympics begin, LGBT rights activists and allies worldwide have been staging demonstrations against the Russian government’s controversial “gay propaganda” law. The protests focused on showing solidarity with Russia’s LGBT community, calling for Olympic sponsors to speak out against Russia’s laws and calling for the International Olympic Committee to better uphold its nondiscrimination principle.

Preliminary events in figure skating, snowboarding and skiing will be held Thursday, with the 2014 Olympics’ opening ceremonies on Friday.

: Members of the LGBT community kiss during a demonstration against discrimination due to sexual orientation in Russia outside the Russian embassy in Mexico City, February 5, 2014. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has faced calls for a boycott of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, which have their opening ceremonies on Friday, over a law banning the spread of gay propaganda among minors. (Bernardo Montoya/Reuters)

: A demonstrator holds a poster with a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the text “Love always wins” in Madrid on February 5, 2014 during a demonstration against anti-gay laws in Russia. Demonstrations were planned in 19 cities worldwide Wednesday seeking to persuade sponsors of the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics, which have their first events Thursday, to pull out over the country’s anti-gay laws. (Curto de la Torre/AFP/Getty Images)

: LGBT rights activists and allies hold placards calling for Sochi Winter Olympics sponsors to speak out against Russia’s anti-gay laws during a protest under the clocks of Flinders Street Railway Station in Melbourne, Australia on February 5 2014. Demonstrations are planned across at least 19 cities worldwide on February 5 seeking to persuade sponsors of the upcoming Winter Olympics to pull out over the country’s anti-gay laws. (Paul Crock /AFP/Getty Images)

: A demonstrator helps display a rainbow flag as she holds a placard showing Russian President Vladimir Putin next to the words “Love always wins” at the start of a protest in Madrid against Russia’s anti-gay laws ahead of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games (Susana Vera/Reuters)

: A demonstrator holds a poster with that reads “Sponsors of the Olympic Games: Say no to the anti-gay laws” in Madrid on February 5, 2014 during a demonstration against anti-gay laws in Russia. (Curto de la Torre/AFP/Getty Images)

: A demonstrator holds a poster with that reads “Russia we are with you, let’s put an end to the anti-gay laws” in Madrid on February 5, 2014 during a demonstration against anti-gay laws in Russia. (Curto de la Torre/AFP/Getty Images)

: A demonstrator poses with banners showing Russian President Vladimir Putin next to the words “Love always wins” during a protest in Madrid against Russia’s anti-gay laws ahead of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games February 5, 2014. (Susana Vera/Reuters)

: Demonstrators pose with the pieces of paper in the colors of the Olympic rings during a protest in Madrid against Russia’s anti-gay laws ahead of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games February 5, 2014. (Susana Vera/Reuters)

: Activists hold placards calling for Sochi Winter Olympics sponsors to speak out against Russia’s anti-gay laws during a protest under the clocks of Flinders Street Railway Station in Melbourne, Australia on February 5, 2014. (Paul Crock/AFP/Getty Images)

: Demonstrators hold posters in Madrid on February 5, 2014 during a demonstration against Russia’s anti-gay laws. Some posters reference Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter, which reads “Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.” (Curto de la Torre/AFP/Getty Images)

: Messages against Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and anti-gay laws are tied to balloons before being released, ahead of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, February 2, 2014. The letter reads, “To Russia, with love.” (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

Russia’s anti-gay laws protested worldwide on eve of Sochi Olympics

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