Homophobic Journalist Fired

Russian journalist, Nikolai Troitsky, of RIA Novosti, was recently fired after making homophobic remarks when blogging about the recent Gay Pride parade in Berlin.

Troitsky commented: ‘I would like to hope and believe that this filth will never be in Russia. I do not need this ‘freedom and democracy’. I don’t have enough tolerance for that, and against my will I start thinking about some sort of a powerful bomb that would exterminate only sodomites. I give you my word, if all these perverted buggers die, the Earth would become much cleaner.’

RIA Novosti was clear that the views expressed by Troitsky did not, in any way, represent the views of the paper and felt that Troitsky’s actions discredited the reputation of the agency and its employees.

Although the blog was removed, another was posted shortly after, again expressing homophobic views, calling the event ‘filthy and disgusting’. Mr Troitsky was subsequently fired after the news agency was flooded with complaints calling for Troitsky’s resignation though the official reasons for his being asked to leave was that he broke the code of conduct, distributing information that defames his colleagues and the agency.

Many people in Russia wholeheartedly agree with Troitsky’s views; supporters of Troitsky are boycotting the agency, renaming it ‘Homosti’.