LGBT and straight San Franciscans gathered and protested on Saturday in front of the Russian Consulate in city by the bay as part of a worldwide effort to draw attention to growing abuses the LGBT community have to endure living in Russia and Vladimir Putin’s new Russian Orthodox regime. Protesters chanted, screamed and waved a large rainbow flag outside the building to show their solidarity to their Russian brothers and sisters.

The issue has struck a nerve among LGBT and human rights activists worldwide.