Madonna Faces $10.5M Lawsuit for ‘Moral Damage’

Russian activists take exception to Madonna condoning homosexuality and abusing an Orthodox cross

It's another day, another threatened lawsuit for pop legend Madonna.

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Members of multiple activists groups in Russia said Friday that they are filing a $10.5 million lawsuit against the former Material Girl, claiming that Madonna's recent concert in St. Petersburg caused "moral damage" to the city's residents.

A spokeswoman for the Union of Russian Citizens, one of the groups threatening to sue the singer, told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that Madonna's views, as expressed at the concert, "contradict the Russian culture."

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"We demand that she pay for moral damage suffered by St. Petersburg residents as a result of her actions during the show on Aug. 9,” Daria Dedova said. "We must defend our right to normal cultural life without propaganda of values and views that contradict the Russian culture."

Members of the People's Assembly and the New Great Russia Party are also threatening to sue the "Ray of Light" singer.

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Among the offending actions, according to the groups: Madonna complained of a "growing intolerance" while promoting acceptance of homosexuals, and "trampled down" an Orthodox cross, presumably in protest of that intolerance.

A lawyer representing the activists told the paper that the "moral damage" resulted from "psychological stress and emotional shock" experienced by those who saw the concert, either in person or via video clips of the show that were posted online.

“While speaking of tolerance, she abuses the feelings of believers,” the attorney added.

This isn't the only potential legal problem that the Material Mom has experienced on her current MDNA tour. France's right-wing National Front party has also threatened to sue the singer, after she showed an image of party leader Marine Le Pen with a swastika superimposed over her face during her Paris concert.

Should the Russian activists go through with their plan to sue — and if they actually win the case — they have vowed to donate the $10.5 million to charities for children and families.

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