Some 400 people gathered on Second Avenue in Manhattan across the from the Consulate General of Nigeria on March 7 to protest that country’s recently enacted anti-LGBT law. That law allows harsh criminal penalties for LGBT people and advocacy of LGBT causes. Midway through the rally, nine activists blocked the entrance to the consulate and were arrested.

Charles King, the president of Housing Works, (speaker in black cowboy hat) told the crowd “We have gathered today to demonstrate our solidarity with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community of Nigeria and with their families and friends. We stand today not only in solidarity with this community, but also with the same communities in Uganda, in Cameroon, in Jamaica, with the young Black gay man in East New York, with the young transgender Latina woman in the South Bronx, indeed, with all those around the globe, wherever they may dwell, who live in fear, who are forced from their homes, who suffer violence and indignities upon their person because of who they are or whom they love.”

Also pictured are Jessica Stern, executive director of the International Gy & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Andy Velez of ACT UP (brown jacket and hat), and Michael Ighodaro, a Housing Works staffer and the lead organizer of the rally (holding “Nigeria: Homophobia un-African!!!” sign).

There were similar protests in seven other cities around the globe on March 7.