In early September Russian prosecutors upheld a complaint from a religious group against the adult-oriented cartoon network, which broadcasts South Park, The Simpsons, The Griffins, Metalocalypse, and Lenore the Cute Little Dead Girl, for their "overt propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia." The 2x2 company was issued with a warning and the case was referred to court.
The rallies will be held on Slavyanskaya Square in Moscow and Vosstaniya Square in St. Petersburg on Sunday, and are expected to gather around 50 people each.
"The rally's organizers plan to declare April 1 a Day of Adult Cartoons," the statement said.
The channel earlier said that as of next week it will suspend broadcasts of 12 cartoons, including South Park, The Simpsons, The Griffins, until the situation is resolved.
The first accusations against the channel came in March 2008, when Russian Protestant leaders submitted a request to the Prosecutor General's Office asking for the channel's license to be revoked, saying it "promotes immorality and violence."
In February 2008, Rossvyazokhrankultura, a regulatory body for television in Russia, issued warnings to the channel over the 'Happy Tree Friends' and 'The Adventures of Big Jeff' cartoon series, recommending that cease broadcasting them to avoid legal problems.