MOSCOW (AP) – Police detained gay rights activists, among them European lawmakers, as they tried to present a letter to Moscow’s mayor Sunday, a demonstration that also attracted a hostile crowd of people who punched and threw eggs at the activists.

The letter, signed by some 40 European lawmakers, appealed the city’s ban on a march that would have taken place Sunday to mark the 14th anniversary of Russia decriminalizing homosexuality.

But police quickly grabbed about a dozen demonstrators and forced them into a bus, including the Russian gay rights movement leader Nikolai Alexeyev. Police then hustled away others, including German parliament member Volker Beck, as opponents threw eggs and shouted: “Moscow is not Sodom.”

Marco Cappato, a European Parliament deputy from Italy, was kicked by one opponent as he spoke to journalists. Cappato began shouting: “Where are the police? Why don’t you protect us?” and officers hauled him away as he struggled.

The gay rights activists appeared to number fewer than 100, while roughly that many police were present. A total of 31 people were detained and most of them were later released, Moscow police spokesman Yevgeny Gildeyev said. He said two Italians were detained for jaywalking and a German was taken away by police to prevent him from being beaten.

But Mr. Beck, who was later released, told The Associated Press police beat him and the others and took their passports away.

Mr. Beck said he would ask the German government to pressure Russia to release three Russians who he said would be detained until at least Monday. The German Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on Beck’s request.

Mr. Beck also denied the group was holding a demonstration, insisting they were only trying to hand over the letter.

Despite being decriminalized, homosexuality is still widely despised in Russia.

Many of the gay rights opponents Sunday carried icons or other insignia of the Russian Orthodox Church, and one man wore the garb of an Orthodox priest.

A woman in the headscarf typical of devout Orthodox believers repeatedly threw water from a bottle at Peter Tatchell, a British human rights activist, as he tried to speak. A young man in a camouflage T-shirt then punched Tatchell in the head and Tatchell was led away by police.

No gay rights opponents were seen taken away by police, though Gildeyev said a man was detained after attacking a Briton, presumably referring to Mr. Tatchell.

The only Russian lawmaker to publicly state support for the demonstrators came from an unexpected wing: Alexei Mitrofanov of the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party.

“How can one act in such a manner, assuming Russia wants to be a part of Europe?” Mr. Mitrofanov said at the scene, according to the Interfax news agency.

Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina of the Russian pop group Tatu briefly appeared, but quickly left as their car was pelted with eggs. The duo has attracted worldwide attention in recent years with suggestive performances, though the singers have said they are not lesbians.

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Associated Press Writer Thomas Rietig contributed to this report from Berlin.