The police agreed

"March of Dissent" dispersed in Nizhny Novgorod

During Saturday's "Other Russia" rally in Nizhny Novgorod, which was banned by local authorities, law enforcement agencies detained 102 people. Among them are 12 journalists from local, federal and foreign media. 29 participants in the “march” were brought to administrative responsibility. Two organizers of the march were charged with extremist activities.

Among the organizers of the “March of Dissent” in Nizhny Novgorod (previously such actions took place in Moscow and St. Petersburg) were the People’s Democratic Union of Mikhail Kasyanov, the National Bolshevik Party of Eduard Limonov, Yabloko, a number of environmental and human rights organizations, as well as groups of citizens who tried to defend their rights to private property, which were violated during development. The “March of Dissent” in Nizhny Novgorod gathered from 50 to 100 people. Although initially it was about at least a thousand people.

The reason for the non-appearance turned out to be more than prosaic - most of the “dissenters” were unable to gather at the appointed hour due to numerous police cordons. According to various sources, on Saturday in Nizhny Novgorod, from 3 to 5 thousand law enforcement officers and internal troops were sent to suppress the action. The result was from 30 to 50 police officers per protester.

A police cordon was set up around Gorky Square, where the procession was supposed to start, through which people were allowed to enter only upon presentation of a journalist's ID. Nevertheless, several dozen participants in the “march” managed to infiltrate the square. At the appointed hour, they unfurled flags and posters and began chanting slogans: “Russia without Putin” and “We need a different Russia.” A few minutes after the start of the action, people in camouflage began to grab marchers and push them onto buses. Among those detained were Nizhny Novgorod writer Zakhar Prilepin, chairman of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society Stanislav Dmitrievsky and leader of the “Vanguard of Red Youth” Sergei Udaltsov and member of the federal council of the “United Civil Front” Marina Litvinovich. After the “dissenters” who were chanting anti-presidential slogans were detained, the riot police turned around and deliberately moved towards the journalists who were filming the detention.

“The police operation led to a massive violation of the rights of citizens who had nothing to do with the March of Dissent,” the organizing committee of the march told Vremya Novostey. — In particular, several dozen journalists and citizens of Nizhny Novgorod were detained, “whose entire guilt was that they came to Gorky Square that day with cameras.”

After the demonstrators were dispersed, Deputy Governor Sergei Potapov came out to the press remaining after the cleanup. “What is taking place in Nizhny Novgorod today cannot be called an event: just a group of people is violating public order,” the official told reporters. According to Mr. Potapov, “the action did not arouse the interest that the organizers promised and prevented peaceful citizens from having a rest.” At that time, civilians stood behind the police cordons and watched what was happening in the square. In conclusion, the deputy governor condemned those who “feed on imported money” and praised “the well-coordinated work of the police and the good training of the riot police.”

Vyacheslav ANTONOV, Nizhny Novgorod