Anti-fascist picket in Voronezh

On April 20, 2005, a picket of Russian and Belarusian anti-fascists took place in Voronezh in front of the police department. The purpose of the action is to establish a dialogue and joint actions with public organizations against nationalist manifestations in the city.

The picket was organized by the Inter-Regional Youth Trade Union of Students (ISPS) with the support of the Youth Human Rights Group (IPG-Voronezh). The participants tried to draw attention to the regular cases of beating of foreign students in the territory of Voronezh and the region, to assist in the initiation and consideration of cases in these cases as cases of inciting ethnic, racial and religious hatred, as well as to establish a dialogue between civil organizations and law enforcement agencies.

The picket was attended by activists of non-governmental organizations from Voronezh, Kursk, Vladimir, Dzerzhinsk, Grodno (Belarus), Krasnodar, Ulyanovsk. Under the windows of the Central Internal Affairs Directorate, anti-fascists unfurled posters "Skinheads are not hooligans, but racists!", "Racism in Voronezh is a reality that must be fought . " The participants of the picket also held in their hands signs with letters that formed a call to law enforcement agencies: "Fight racism together!" .

The picketers handed over to the Central Internal Affairs Directorate a package containing recommendations from the Prosecutor General's Office on the involvement of experts in the investigation of crimes on racial and ethnic grounds. Also, a methodological manual with advice on how to classify crimes motivated by intolerance, prepared by human rights scientist N.M. Girenko, who was killed for his anti-fascist activities .

During the picket, an attempt was made to put pressure on the organizer of the action by a law enforcement officer.

Sources

• Young human rights activists in Voronezh suggested to law enforcement agencies "Combat racism together!" // Civitas.ru. April 21, 2005