20 years by May Day

On May 1, 1993, the police dispersed the May Day procession of the Communists. This became a prologue to the constitutional crisis, which happened in the fall of 1993.

The riots in Gagarin Square showed that society split into two warring parties. According to official figures, only the OMON fighter Vladimir Tolokneev died in the clashes, there are no data on the victims from the demonstrators.

The 1993 constitutional crisis - the confrontation between President Boris Yeltsin and the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Council Ruslan Khasbulatov - ended with the execution of the White House tanks on October 4, 1993. In October, according to official figures, 123 people died, about 400 were injured. According to Izvestia , 157 people died.

Photo: Vladimir Fedorenko/RIA Novosti

Wounded on the street. Most of the injured demonstrators received traumatic brain injuries.

Photo: Vladimir Fedorenko/RIA Novosti

The newspapers of that time parted in the assessments of events: some wrote that the unrest was provoked by the demonstrators themselves, others - about the cruelty of riot police.

The newspaper "Kommersant" May 4, 1993 "Pervomaisky rally ended with a fight"

"At 11:20, a column of about 5 thousand people, blocking the movement on Leninsky Prospekt, moved towards Gagarin's Square. After 10 minutes, the manifestants approached the riot police and police chain. Without reacting to the megaphones of the warning of the order of the unlawful nature of such actions, the opposition rushed to the first line of police. The police officers threw the crowds under the feet of the attackers, clearly prepared pieces of metal reinforcement, sharpening and a fairly large number of stones. Toklokneev, which in serious condition was taken to intensive care.

According to the press service of the Moscow Central Internal Affairs Directorate, 205 police officers suffered in clashes, of which 181 are a riot police fighter. 25 policemen were delivered to the hospitals of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Central Internal Affairs Directorate, two more-in the first city and 64th city hospitals. The losses of manifestants amounted to more than 70 people, of which 9 people were hospitalized in the first city, three more at the Sklifosovsky Institute and other hospitals. The main injuries on both sides are a concussion, fractures of the lower leg and traumatic brain injuries.

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In total, during the clashes, the demonstrators burned 2 ZIL-130 vehicles belonging to 8 and 9 auto-plants. 11 riot police cars and 31 trucks of city auto -components were damaged (glass was knocked out, hoods and cabin were sold). In addition, 139 protective shields, 14 portable radio stations were broken, 78 body armor were torn, 66 helmets, 42 helmets and 6 megaphones were broken. 33 police caps, 36 berets and 12 officer cloaks were torn. About 10 rubber batons are lost. "

The newspaper "Pravda" dated May 4, 1993

"Whatever the bankrupt politicians, police bureaucrats, television lackeys, the demonstration of the opposition forces of Moscow, went peacefully and with dignity, until it rested on the riot police, the hail of the clubs that fell on the heads of unarmed reaction of the demonstration, how to endure the abuse of the people? The authorities who do not share their views, cooks, cooks, red-brown scum in the beating of the demonstrators, this is just a step to break the resistance of the fellow capitalism, we emphasize a significant part of the Russians.

To beat their people, in their country, on their native streets on a festive day, is the last thing, vile and vile. How are they going to further rule Russia?! "