An anti-fascist rally took place in St. Petersburg. 11 armed neo-Nazis detained

March 17, 2007 in St. Petersburg, in the garden. Chernyshevsky, a rally against racial prejudice and nationalism organized by the Anti-Fascist Initiative took place. Initially, the organizers planned to hold a procession, but the authorities of St. Petersburg allowed only the rally. The action was held within the framework of the International European Week against xenophobia and racial intolerance.

The event was attended by about 50 young people (according to other sources, 70 people), mostly representatives of the anti-fascist movement, anarchists, activists of the Food Not Bombs movement. The participants of the rally were holding posters "The city is a hero. And you?" and "There are no illegal people" . The protesters marched under the slogans "Death to fascists of all stripes - from doorways to authorities!", "Our fatherland - all of humanity!", "The world is colored, not brown!" etc. The rally was guarded by police officers.

Representatives of the "Food Not Bombs" movement handed out hot meals to those present. Approximately half an hour before the declared end of the rally - at 14.30 - a police officer turned to the organizers with a request to disperse in small groups. As a result, a group of rally participants gathered at the exit from the garden, who were let out in twos or threes.

One of the participants in the rally, who was found to have self-defense equipment, was detained.

11 neo-Nazis who tried to enter the rally were detained near the Finland Station.

The detainees, residents of the northern districts of St. Petersburg and visitors from Moscow, were confiscated armature and knives, bandages for the face. According to operational information, they planned to track down a small group of participants in the rally after its completion and attack. Some of the detainees call themselves members of the DPNI, some - members of the Slavic community. The age of young people is from 18 to 26 years. According to preliminary information, not all of them knew each other by sight. Operatives suggest that representatives of "any of the nationalist movements" may be behind the organization of the attack .

Based on Internet blogs.

Sources

• Anti-fascist rally in St. Petersburg brought together fifty people // IA REGNUM. 2007. March 19.
• Poteeva K. "Crusade" to the rally failed // Fontanka.ru. 2007. March 17.
• Armature and knives were confiscated from the detainees before the rally // Fontanka.ru. 2007. March 17.