Pre-election anti-Semitism in Ulyanovsk?

On January 29, 2008, in Ulyanovsk, near the Jewish Community Center and Synagogue, a group of 10 people began shouting anti-Semitic slogans and painting the walls of the synagogue with swastikas. Part of the group entered the premises of the community center.

Police officers driving past the building detained four protesters. According to some reports, weapons had to be used during the arrest. The detainees testify at the prosecutor's office.

Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Ulyanovsk Jewish Community Valery Rogatkin said that “the organizer of this action was the Russian National Union, the head of which lives in Dimitrovgrad and is a deputy of the city council.” This is likely referring to Oleg Shevyakov, the leader of the Simbirsk branch of RONS, who is currently trying to run for a seat in the regional legislative assembly.

On January 31, 2008, the Leninsky District Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Ulyanovsk Regionopened a criminal case under Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation regarding the incident.

Sources

• An anti-Semitic demonstration took place in Ulyanovsk // Newspaper. RU. 2008. January 30.
• Pogrom in the Ulyanovsk Jewish Community Center // Jewish Internet Club. 2008. January 30.