The ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court was the most drastic step against the LGBTQ movement under Putin’s rule.

Russian security forces have raided gay clubs and bars across Moscow, shortly after the country’s top court labeled the LGBTQ movement as “extremist.”

Police officers raided venues across the Russian capital late Friday, including a nightclub, a men’s sauna and a bar hosting LGBTQ parties, under the pretext of a drug raid, according to local media.

Witnesses told journalists that clubgoers’ documents were checked and photographed by security services. They also said that managers managed to warn guests before police arrived.

The raids come less than 48 hours after the decision of the Supreme Court of Russia that “the international LGBT movement and its subdivisions” are now considered extremist and face a ban on their activities.

Activists said the top court’s broad and vague definition meant authorities could potentially take action against any individual or group deemed part of the movement.

The ruling could therefore mean an effective ban on all organized activities in favor of LGBTQ rights.

During one decades-long crackdown on LGBTQ rights Under his rule, Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly emphasized “traditional family values.”

The court ruling was the most drastic step to date with far-reaching and still unknown consequences. But many more steps followed, which only increased after that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, which indicates the direction in which the Russian authorities are heading.

Amid Kremlin rhetoric about defying “degrading” Western influence, politicians banned medical and administrative procedures in June Sex reassignment procedurebanning this practice and changing gender in official documents and public records.

Last November, lawmakers passed a bill banning all forms of LGBTQ “propaganda,” with far-reaching consequences for book publishing and film distribution, among other things.

Before Thursday’s latest ruling, Russian human rights groups had filed a document with the Supreme Court calling the Justice Department’s lawsuit that led to the ruling discriminatory and unconstitutional.

Several LGBTQ activists have been rejected in their attempts to become formal parties in the case. The Supreme Court hearing was held behind closed doors and without a defense presence, and reporters were only allowed to hear the decision.

Russian authorities have rejected allegations that they discriminate against LGBTQ people.

Deputy Justice Minister Andrei Loginov was quoted by local media earlier this month as saying that “the rights of LGBT people in Russia are protected by law.”

Presenting a report on human rights in Russia to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, he said: “Restricting the public demonstration of non-traditional sexual relationships or preferences is not a form of censure for them.”