Michael Lucas's commentary today addresses the seeming about-face done by Russian LGBT activist Nikolai Alexseyev, and speculates about whether he's been intimidated by the Putin government, or is possibly acting as its paid agent. in response Alexseyev has taken to social media to decry the opinion piece, quit activism, withdraw cases filed at the European Commission of Human Rights, give up leadership of Moscow Pride, and possibly hire a hit man to kill Michael Lucas.
While we cannot be certain that the person posting these Tweets is indeed Alexseyev, it is from his account.
\u201cI will sue Michael Lucas for this article - Nikolai Alexeyev: The Kremlin\u2019s New Pocket Gay | Out Magazine: https://t.co/bvvw7YNfu4\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377704621
\u201cI am calling https://t.co/7a8yNACqW1 website to remove slanderous and insulting article of Michael Lucas against me! Write to them!\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377707028
\u201c@matbreen I am ready to write anything and answer any questions. But what can someone reply to slander and insults?\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377704621
\u201cAll the world can thank @MichaelLucasNYC I decided to leave LGBT activism. I only paid own money and faced insults.\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377712677
\u201cAll 30 cases at European Court on all aspects of LGBT human rights violations in Russia will be withdrawn. Thanks to @MichaelLucasNYC\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377712887
\u201cI think Russian LGBTs will for sure say thanks to @MichaelLucasNYC as they have to refile all cases at ECHR. 5-7 years lost.\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377714331
\u201cI am in emergency proceedings to give up the leadership of Moscow Pride. I had a clear candidature and was denied. Working more.\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377718911
\u201cOn the top of @MichaelLucasNYC the owners of https://t.co/do22KbFD2u website will be sued for libel and slander. 2 million USD moral damages.\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377721177
\u201cIf my 72yo mum dies because of @MichaelLucasNYC article I will personally hire a contract killer to kill him. He will not get unpunished.\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377722383
\u201cOne pornographer @MichaelLucasNYC moved Russian LGBT community 7 years back. Will personally withdraw all 30 cases at ECHR tomorrow.\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377724449
\u201cWe will appoint @MichaelLucasNYC as head of Moscow Pride organizing committee. It will be a big LOL! He is a coward! Try to come over here!\u201d— Nikolay Alekseev (@Nikolay Alekseev) 1377724755
Michael Lucas has also forwarded an email to Out.com, purportedly from Alexseyev, that reads [sic]:
"You are just another Jewish debile who will answer to all!
Sent from my iPhone"
While we cannot confirm the veracity of the email, the address is the same one that directs to Alexseyev's Facebook account. Many commentors still question whether Alexesyev's email and social media have been hacked, but in the past Alexseyev's social media accounts have been scrubbed of some comments after they've been criticized, as in this instance in which he was called out for anti-Semitic remarks:
"Then came rumors that Alekseev posted anti-Jewish comments on his blog on Jan. 31 -https://alexeyev.livejournal.com/465479.html - now apparently deleted. The specific offending quote, captured by Scott Long, formerly of Human Rights Watch and now a Visiting Fellow, Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School was:
'The Israeli Prime Minister urged Western leaders to support Egyptian dictator Mubarak ... And who after this are the Jews? In fact, I always knew who they were.'"
