In case you were unaware that new city councilmen Mike Bonin and Mitch O'Farrell are gay, they released this photo today.

Which is like a Latino posing in front of a lowrider. Or an African American man raising the “black power” fist. As in, super gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that:

When Bonin made the flier you see here his cover photo on Facebook, the first two comments left by his friends were “lol.” So we're not the only ones having fun with it.

But the point is a serious one.

Bonin and O'Farrell are unhappy, as are we all, with the draconian measures Russia has taken against its LGBT community.

And St. Petersburg is an L.A. sister city. So at 9 a.m. Tuesday at First and Main streets the duo will ceremonially place rainbow flags on a monument to our sister city status with St. Petersburg.


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Following the symbolic show of disenchantment, the City Council will vote on a proposal by Bonin that would have L.A. officially ask the federal government to grant asylum to those persecuted by Russia for being gay, Bonin's office told us.

What about severing ties with St. Petersburg?

The City Council considered it but backed away, with some arguing that the whole concept of L.A.'s sister city partnerships was to foster communication after World War II.

In the meantime Mayor Eric Garcetti is expected to move with a motion that would have him write a letter to St. Petersburg expressing L.A.'s official concerns with the gay bashing.

To recap: Tomorrow, 9 a.m., outside City Hall Park. Be there. (It got our attention.)

Send feedback and tips to the author. Follow Dennis Romero on Twitter at @dennisjromero. Follow LA Weekly News on Twitter at @laweeklynews.

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