Rock music lovers as a social group

On July 26, 2011, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation announced completion of the investigation into the pogrom that took place on August 29 last year at the rock festival "Tornado" in the city of Miass, Chelyabinsk region. The attackers, among other things, are accused of inciting social hatred.

Recall that the territory where the rock festival was held, a crowd of young men burst in armed with baseball bats, knives and With pneumatic weapons, they began to beat everyone who came to hand. IN as a result, about 40 people were injured of varying severity.

13 people will soon be in the dock, who are charged with cc. 1, 2 art. 212 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization and participation in mass riots) and paragraphs. "a, c" part 2 of Art. 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (inciting hatred towards a social group, committed with the use of violence, organized group).

According to the Investigative Committee, "the perpetrators ... made calls, inciting hatred towards an informal social group with common values ​​and interests such as rock music". moreover, the defendants incited to humiliate the dignity of these people and use violence towards them.

In our opinion, the use of anti-extremist legislation in this case is not justified enough. Firstly, it is doubtful that rock music lovers can be considered as a separate social group. Secondly, in our opinion, the list of vulnerable groups, protected by anti-extremist legislation is not infinite at all. unnecessarily An expanded interpretation of this list leads, for example, to the fact that anti-extremist legislation is used to protect groups such as "nationalists" or "police officers".

Sources

• In the Chelyabinsk region, investigative actions have been completed in a criminal case on the mass beating of participants in the Tornado rock festival in Miass // Website of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. 2011. July 26.