"Now everyone is a leader." Parents against repression

Spouses Irina Werner, the mother of the two sons, and Vyacheslav Lvov, the father of four children, placed on Facebook an open letter of parents against political persecution of youth. They demanded to free the accused in the "Moscow case", the affairs of the "network" and "new greatness".

"We, the parents of young men and girls, schoolchildren and students, students and workers, all those who, without any reason, police officers, riot police or the Russian Guard can grab, beat, throw him into a car ZIZO, send to whom only by the conspiracy of these" law enforcement "can be made by the case and condemn, without listening to obvious evidence of innocence, we demand from The authorities are to stop lawlessness, ”the parents say in an open letter. For three days, this appeal collected about 140 signatures. In an interview with Radio, Freedom Irina Werner and Vyacheslav Lviv told why they decided to unite the parents of young opposition rallies and how they go out with their son for protest.

Irina:

- I wanted to speak out against political repression. I saw the post of documentary director Kirill Nenashev. He wrote that no social groups "call him in open letters." I also did not know which of the letters from professional communities to subscribe. Husband Vyacheslav Lvov signed a letter of researchers . I do not consider myself a researcher. I thought that many of us are united by the fact that we are parents, and decided to create a letter on behalf of mothers and fathers. Among the accused in the "Moscow case", the affairs of the "network" and the "new greatness" are many young people. In general, the protest, according to our observations, is becoming more and more young. And I wanted a letter on behalf of my parents to support boys and girls who are fighting with injustice.

Vyacheslav:

-I often communicate with young people who are a little over 20. Most often these are students of the humanitarian faculties of Moscow universities. Young protests told how they regret that parents do not support them. Students said that the support of parents would give self -confidence. I decided that it was necessary to help these children establish contact with their parents.

- Why do you think parents do not support activists, but often forbid to take part in street promotions?

Irina:

- It seems to me that many people are immersed in everyday vanity. They have no time and desire to be interested in something except everyday duties. My eldest Buddhist son says that you need to live consciously. The older generation really lacks awareness. I compare the younger generation with me. At their age, I thought about various trifles, lived only with her children's interests and was not worried about what was happening around. Modern schoolchildren and students read a lot, reflect and analyze. They are interested in global issues: politics, economics, ecology.

The older generation really lacks awareness

Vyacheslav:

- I am more than 70 years old. I noticed that even 40-year-old parents live as if they did not need anything except domestic well-being. And in this algorithm they raise children. But the children came out of this algorithm. And they began to think and act differently. Parents stayed away from public life, and children cannot afford it. They should think about their future. Of course, many mothers and fathers are against the participation of children in opposition rallies from fear. Parents are afraid for children. I understand this fear well.

- How do you overcome fear for your youngest son Ilya, who has already been detained twice during protest actions?

Irina:

- We ourselves take part in rallies. I - Since 2011, Vyacheslav went on promotions in the 90s. It is customary to openly talk about politics in our family. Of course, we are afraid for Ilya. None of the mothers and dads experience pleasant emotions when the child is taken to the car carrier. When the son asked what we were thinking about his participation in protest, I replied: "We do not just love you, we are like -minded people."

Vyacheslav:

“ Maybe I'm not the perfect father, but I always raised my son an independent and free person.” And I will not forbid him something out of fear for my son. It is wrong and useless. Manipulating a child is not about us. Of course, we were anxious when the son was detained. The first time Ilya was detained on May 5, two days before Putin's inauguration. Then the son went outside with a poster "there has never been and here again." The second time Ilya was detained five minutes after the start of the action in defense of journalist Ivan Golunov. We went to the rally together, but Ilya went a little forward and wrote that he was taken to a car gut. In the morning, Ilya was released from the police department at the new Basmann. The son cheerfully told us how he talked with the police. He said the police - Normal people, only when the authorities call, they begin to worry very much. After the second arrest, we agreed with Ilya that he would not temporarily take part in inconsistent street actions. We decided that my wife and I would go out instead of him. And every Saturday we, together with our son, are in single pickets. On one of the posters with which I stood near the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Petrovka, 38, it was written: "Fathers! Stand up for your children!" I think parents should fight for their children. Sooner or later, all parents will understand this. They will be able to overcome fear and begin to help children in an effort to make the country more fair and humane. It is enough for parents to show that the struggle of children is not hopeless.

- What do you think about the future of the protest movement? Young people managed to intimidate the sentences of the accused in the "Moscow case"?

Vyacheslav:

- The protest will intensify in response to repressive measures. No monstrous sentences will change this. This has already happened in different countries, for example, in France, in 1968. I constantly communicate with the youth at the meetings of the discussion club "Politics Space". I see that these are free people. They are used to living in free space. Young people resist when her freedom is taken away. Young people know the Constitution better than power. They want to go to peaceful rallies. But, when they are prohibited, the youth are ready to go out to those who are inconsistent. I think civil resistance will grow. Many countries have already gone the way that Russia is going on now. This path will be long, but will lead to changes. Because the forces of progress are stronger and they will win sooner or later. We are already winning now. We win, but not fists, as the authorities do, but an increase in the number of people who do not want to put up with this power. Sooner or later, we will have something similar to a liberal-democratic system. Another question is that young protest participants do not quite understand what they want. Activists know that they do not want to see in the power of today's leaders. But, unfortunately, the new generation does not yet have a vision of the future of the country.

We win, but not fists, as the authorities do, but an increase in the number of people who do not want to put up with this top

- You mentioned the discussion club "Politics Space". What is it?

Irina:

- Youth discussion club. He originated inside the headquarters of Julia Galyamina, an independent candidate for deputies of the Moscow City Duma. Club participants choose a topic for discussion. For example, the last time we talked about summer protests. Experts come to the club meeting. The club show films. For example, we watched the film "My Friend Boris Nemtsov." Then they discussed him with the director Zosei Rodkevich. Another format of the club is debate. On them, two participants represent opposite points of view on any topic. People of any age can come to the club meetings.

- All your children take part in protests?

- The daughter of Glory and her husband often go to rallies and processions with us. One of her husband’s senior granddaughters studies at Higher School and also participates in rallies. My eldest son Andrei considers himself a citizen of the world and travels a lot. Now he lives in Israel. But the situation in Russia is watching intently, in the know, supports the opposition.

- There is an opinion that adolescents and students who allegedly protest only because, by virtue of age, they use various political forces for their own purposes. What do you feel about it?

Irina:

“ I don’t know if it is correct to judge by myself, but I can’t imagine how you can use me.” At any age it was impossible to use me. My son cannot be used either. It’s hard for me to convince him of something. He himself decided what university he would act in and how he would do it. Everything is composed and built in his head.

Young people are fighting not with power, but with injustice

Vyacheslav:

- Young people go outside, because they have a sense of justice. They, unlike us, are not used to injustice. Children feel thin skin injustice, which is at every step. Young people are fighting not with power, but with injustice. And, I think, the children will demolish all sorts of obstacles on this path. Different guys come to protests, not only students of good lyceums and students of prestigious universities. I think that on the periphery, the protest mood among young people is even stronger, because the inhabitants of the regions are more often encountered with injustice than we are in a well -fed, rich in Moscow. Of course, not all young people adhere to opposition views and are ready to go out into the streets. I remember that a young man, a member of the United Russia party, came to one of the meetings of the discussion club. He represented a position on the debate, criticizing participation in protests. This young man was invited by my youngest son. This young man himself entered a good university. There was no doubt in the high intellectual level of this boy. But during the performance, with a sweet smile on his face he pronounced stamps that can be heard, for example, from Sobyanin or Peskov. When I asked the young man after the speech whether he believes in his words, the boy did not answer me. I think the young man chose agreement, assuming that this would give him some preferences. I want to say that the youth is different and the political views are not the same. But those young people who participate in protest do this exclusively on their own beliefs. During the last summer campaign, almost all opposition leaders sat, and the protests continued. I think the time has come when the leader is not needed. Now everyone is his own leader.