The May Day celebrations attracted more 30,000 people in St Petersburg this year. Quite a big deal.

Unfortunately, St Petersburg is getting quite a reputation for homophobia. This year's May Day protest saw 17 people arrested for trying to unfurl a rainbow flag.

This follows St Petersburg adopting a law that bans 'homosexual propaganda' in March. By the way, for 'homosexual propaganda', you want to read: mentioning anyone being gay, ever, in any context. Four cities have now adopted that baffling law, including  Nizhny Novgorod, Russia's third largest city. It doesn't look like it will be adopted nationally, but when this can happen in St Petersburg, that brings little comfort.