Translated material
United Russia Day
“Russian March” and “Young Guard” coincided in festive slogans
A recreated or, according to some, invented holiday - National Unity Day - was held in Russia for the third time. In some ways, it increasingly resembles its political predecessor - the anniversary of the Great October Revolution, celebrated according to the introduced “new style” on November 7. But now the country celebrates the 4th, and only the communists are true to themselves and hold actions on the anniversary of October. In Moscow, the most notable events of the new holiday, perhaps, could be called the action of nationalists “Russian March” and the action of the “Young Guard” - the youth wing of “United Russia”, which celebrated National Unity Day on Manezhnaya Square. The former were remembered for their emphasized tolerance and small numbers, the latter for their large numbers and frost resistance. Moreover, even an American from Texas took part in the “Russian March” (by definition, anti-American).Vremya Novostey correspondent Kirill MELNIKOV watched the marching nationalists and singing “Young Guards”.
So that "the roof doesn't blow away"
At almost all festive rallies organized on this day throughout the country, Russian President Vladimir Putin was remembered with kind words. In the morning, Mr. Putin himself, as expected, laid flowers at the monument to the main heroes of the holiday - Citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky on Red Square. Communicating with representatives of pro-Kremlin youth movements, the president once again spoke about what the country celebrates on November 4th. “This is, of course, a new holiday. But the idea behind it is extremely important. In the life of every nation, every state, of course, the activities of monarchs, heads of state, military, and public figures are important, but ultimately, of course, the last word, the decisive word, belongs to the people,” said Vladimir Putin. - Only by joining forces can we achieve results in the development of our own country and ensure that it takes an appropriate place, a worthy place in the world. Therefore, the idea embedded in the holiday itself, it seems to me, is very important and deserves support.”
Mr. Putin also spoke about our country’s international relations with other countries. “There are people who are “blown away” (sorry for such youth slang, but it’s clear what we’re talking about). Some people constantly talk about the need to divide the country, and they are still trying to spread these theories. Some say that we have inherited too many natural resources and need to share them (by the way, they themselves do not want to share with anyone). We must take this into account too. We must proceed from the fact that this also exists in the world,” the president said and called on everyone to do “a lot so that everyone has a sense of pride in their country.”
“Putin’s plan” under the blanket
Everyone interested in the new holiday began to prepare for it long ago.
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration (DPNI), together with other nationalist movements, submitted an application to the capital’s mayor’s office to hold a “Russian March”. When November 4 was celebrated for the first time - in 2005, the authorities allowed the Russian March. However, after the march took place, the mayor's office apparently regretted it. This procession scared everyone, forcing them to talk about the possibility of nationalist revenge. Therefore, last year the organizers of the “Russian March” did not receive permission for it. They did not hope for the favor of the capital’s authorities this year either, but the mayor’s office unexpectedly gave the go-ahead for the march (in an interview with Vremya Novostei, Yabloko deputy chairman Sergei Mitrokhin even suggested that this may indicate hidden sympathy for the nationalists on the part of authorities).
Pro-Kremlin youth movements were also preparing for the holiday. About a week before November 4, young people wearing blankets began walking around Red Square. They galloped around the square, played the fashionable game "Sox" and agitated passers-by. As it turned out, it was “Ours” who invited us to join them on National Unity Day and come to Vasilievsky Spusk, where they invited everyone to sew a huge blanket together.
I approached one of the activists: “Why did you decide to sew a big blanket and what are you all going to do under it?” - “We won’t do anything under it! Why is everyone so interested in this? It’s just that November 4 is a new holiday, there is no tradition yet on how to celebrate it. So we want to create a new tradition!” - “But during the day you probably study...” - “Yes, we study. But we are not indifferent to the fate of our country...” - “Then you would probably like Vladimir Putin to remain the President of Russia?” - “Well, of course! What, you don’t?!”
I started asking her what the “Putin Plan” and “sovereign democracy” were. She was confused, and then insight appeared on her face. “Oh, I see! So you are probably a Limonovite? Or for Kasyanov? Or maybe for Kasparov?” she asked. Another Nashi activist standing nearby grabbed her mobile phone, took a step to the side and began telling someone on the phone that there was a “dissatisfied” again, and also asking what to do with the “dissatisfied”, that is, with me. I assured them that I was happy with everything and just wanted to talk to them. They calmed down. We even started talking to them. And at the end of the conversation, when I asked one of the girls what she would like to do in the future, she replied: “I want to work in the State Duma. I’ll have an internship there very soon.”
“You can throw your hands up!”
The capital authorities allowed the “Russian March” to be held on the Taras Shevchenko embankment. The path from the Kutuzovskaya metro station to the gathering point of the marchers was lined with soldiers and police officers, absorbed in eating sunflower seeds. It would probably have been possible to get to the gathering place even without a police column: you just had to walk along empty beer bottles.
To join the “Russian March”, one had to go through two police cordons. The weather was cold, so the organizers provided everyone with tea and sandwiches for snacks. According to DPNI activists, about 5-7 thousand should have gathered for the “Russian March” - in their opinion, that’s how many people gathered. However, according to police estimates, slightly more than two thousand took part in the march.
Several nationalist organizations stood under the banner of the “Russian March” on November 4: DPNI, “Slavic Union”, National Power Party of Russia, National Socialist Society, etc. Mostly these were young people carefully hiding their faces under scarves, but they came across Among the nationalists are pensioners with icons in their hands.
An orchestra of girl drummers began the march, apparently setting the rhythm. Journalists were looking for DPNI leader Alexander Belov (Potkin), who, as representatives of the movement stated, after “communication” with the police was forced to improve his health in the hospital.
The column moving along the embankment shouted loudly: “Glory to Russia,” “Russia for the Russians,” “Kondopoga is a hero city.” The marchers were clearly uncomfortable. But then they gave the command over the megaphone: “Guys, you can throw up your hands!” The crowd began to joyfully raise their hands to accompany their slogans.
However, unexpectedly the completely measured march was interrupted. The crowd stopped and began to look at the opposite bank of the Moscow River: unknown people had put up a banner there that read: “November 4 is the day of unity of power and fascists.” In response, the nationalists began to chant in unison: “Antifa - fuck!” Several people lit fireworks and detonated smoke bombs. A small group of nationalists using pyrotechnics almost took out their anger on photographers who climbed right into the middle of the crowd in search of the best shots. The organizers arrived on time and cooled down the flares and the ardor of the marchers.
Russian-Texan March
Among all the participants in the “Russian March,” only one person stood out. He walked separately from everyone. He was wearing high boots, blue jeans, a short jacket and a wide-brimmed hat. He walked with an American flag in his hands. Or rather, almost with the American one: it had only 13 stars - according to the number of southern states. Seeing that I was looking at him with interest, he called me and said that he was ready to answer my questions. “This is the only true flag,” Preston Wiginton, who traveled the longest to the Russian March from Texas, told me. Behind him was a banner against “invasion of third countries into our culture.” “I am against American imperialism and the policies that my country is currently pursuing. The situation with the deployment of American military bases in Poland is similar to the one when the USSR wanted to place its bases in Cuba. I don’t understand why the Russians should remain silent - they have every right to defend themselves!” - Preston Wiginton told me about his foreign policy views. “With my soul and heart I am here with you today. I have a lot of respect for Russians who speak out in their own defense,” he admitted. When I asked him whether nationalism could lead to revolution, for example, Preston Wiginton initially refused to answer. But after thinking a little, he said: “Look what’s happening in Europe: Islam has already started revolutions there. So answer your question for yourself.” In general, Preston Wiginton became perhaps the main star of the “Russian March”.
"Orange" migrant workers
The nationalists had almost reached the Ukraina Hotel, near which the rally was to take place, when suddenly the crowd, already quite tired, loudly began to roar loudly again. To the right of the marchers, on the hill, migrant workers in orange overalls were calmly collecting dry leaves. They were distracted from their work and stared at the “Russian March” - it was in front of them in full view. True, the workers were separated from the marchers by a wall of lined up soldiers. The nationalists turned around and, throwing up their hands, began to shout: “Russia for the Russians.” The migrant workers looked at them with a smile. But they quickly got tired of this, and they again took up their brooms and rakes, showing that they were at work. The crowd fell silent with satisfaction.
White power
The nationalists lined up in a small area in front of the Ukraina Hotel, their imperial flags flying directly in front of the Gazprom advertisement on the other side of the Moscow River. The leaders of nationalist movements, who climbed onto a truck like Lenin on an armored car, replaced each other almost unnoticed by the crowd. The floor was finally given to the “overseas friend.” “We have a tradition in Texas of taking our hats off to good people,” said Preston Wiginton, and he did indeed take his hat off. “White power,” the Texan shouted and added in broken Russian: “Glory to Russia!”
At the end of the march, the leader of the DPNI, Alexander Belov (Potkin), was also found. All this time he stood on the truck, and journalists did not recognize him due to a change in his image: Mr. Belov shaved his beard. His performance was the most incendiary. The body of the truck was not enough for him, he jumped onto the cab and for several minutes told the crowd, which had noticeably thinned out by the time of his speech, about how tired he was of the power of the occupiers.
“We have a Russian holiday!”
For the Young Guard rally, which celebrated National Unity Day on Manezhnaya Square, half of the historical center of the city was blocked. After the rally of “Nashi” on Vasilievsky Spusk, hiding under the “blanket of peace”, ended, part of “Nashi” proceeded to the rally of the “Young Guard” - the youth wing of United Russia.
Young people occupied the front rows long before the start of the festive concert. By the time it started, most of them, in my opinion, were no longer interested in the concert. “We have been standing here for two hours, we are very cold... But we have nowhere to warm ourselves,” activists from the Smolensk region told me. The boys were not allowed on the buses that brought them: all exits from the square were closed to ordinary “Young Guards”, so they could only freeze. However, patriotism did not freeze in them. “We came specifically here, to Moscow, to celebrate this holiday together, which we already love very much,” an activist from the Lipetsk region told me.
Their “party” elite came out to the “Young Guards” one by one. Chairman of the Political Council of the Young Guard Nadezhda Orlova spoke about her morning meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders of the regional branches of the Young Guard took turns declaring their love for the president, calling on the crowd to shout with them “Russia! Putin! Even the leader of the "Young Guards" Ivan Demidov - not a big fan of public actions - spoke. “We have a Russian holiday! Glory to Russia!” - Mr. Demidov, who is also the head of the Russian project of United Russia, shouted from the stage. "Glory to Russia!" - Manezhnaya Square answered him.
“Do you know how long they will continue talking?” - a girl in a T-shirt on which the president’s face was depicted and the signature “I am for” turned to me. I replied that I didn't know. “They just promised us a concert, but they keep talking and talking, and we are already frozen,” the activist shared with me.
The concert really started soon: the girl just had to endure a few more live broadcasts from St. Petersburg, where the “Young Guards” were also celebrating National Unity Day. When the participants of “Star Factory -7” appeared on stage, a cry of joy was heard on Manezhnaya Square, in which higher feminine notes predominated. Even the back rows playing trickle, in my opinion, looked at the stage for the first time and listened. The crowd held up their hands with their mobile phones clutched. We waited...