Madonna claims Russian govt slapped her with $1 million fine for LGBTQ+ rights speech

In a new social media post, pop icon Madonna has claimed that she was fined $1 million in penalties by the Russian government for her public speech in support of the LGBTQ+ rights at a concert in St. Petersburg 8 years ago.

The singer even posted footage of her speech on her official Instagram and Twitter handle. However, the 61-year-old Queen of Pop added that her extraordinarily supportive fans appreciated her impassioned speech in context to the civil rights movement in the 1960s during her 2012 Russia tour. 

On Twitter, Madonna wrote, "I made this speech at a concert in St. Petersburg 8 years ago. I was fined 1 million dollars by The government for supporting the Gay community." Further, the Ray of Light singer revealed that the fine was reduced. Interestingly, Madonna also added that she never paid the fine. 

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In the footage that she shared online the star can be heard saying, “I’m here to say that the gay community, and gay people, here and all around the world, have the same rights, the same rights to be treated with dignity, with respect, with tolerance, with compassion, with love." 

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Russian court denied her claims

According to reports, a Russian court denied her claims saying that there was no such ruling. Although, after the world-famous singer took to her social media to share the clips from the concert, the court changed its statement. 

Back in the day, Madonna was running a support campaign for one of the detained members of the famous punk band who was put on trial for anti-Putin Punk Prayer performance at a Moscow cathedral. However, a local report confirmed that the St. Petersburg court claimed that the lawsuit was filed by Russian activist groups against, what they assumed, the homosexual propaganda by the singer. Madonna was spotted at the Black Lives Matter protest in London.  

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