The group "Antisocial Distancing" is recognized as a terrorist group

On January 10, 2025, the Kaluga District Court recognized the anarchist rock band Antisocial Distancing as a terrorist organization.

The prosecutor's claim was registered in November 2024. The department demanded that the public organization Antisocial Distancing and the rock group Antisocial Distancing association, the head of which Alexander Stolbin was named as terrorist, be recognized as terrorist.

In October 2022, Stolbin, Olga Proshkina and Artem Paramonov were fined from 30 to 150 thousand rubles under Part 1 of Art. 205.2 of the Criminal Code (justification of terrorism) due to posting leaflets about the undermining of the Arkhangelsk FSB, committed by anarchist Mikhail Zhlobitsky

The lawsuit claims that the group’s Telegram channels “discuss the possibility and methods of using violence” against “bons,” who are called “adhering to ideologically alternative subcultures.”

The rock band formed in 2021 and has now disbanded. The songs “Antisocial Distancing” were included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials.

The group used a black flag “with the image of a set fire bottle with a Molotov cocktail in its hand” as a symbol. One of the T-shirts distributed by the group depicts a police cap and baton thrown “into the trash can with the rats,” while another shows “a man with the attributes of a punk anarchist” holding a blade to the throat of “an animal-like law enforcement official.” Participants use badges with the acronym ACAB, the slogan “Be an enemy of the system,” the letter “A” in a circle, and “others that are characteristic of anarchist movements.”

The prosecutor's office believes that the group members painted graffiti with the symbol of anarchism and the slogans “The FSB has been using interrogation methods since the 14th century,” “Everyone resign, no elections,” “The FSB is torturing Russia,” and others.

In March 2022, security forces carried out at least 7 searches in the homes of the group members and in the garage where members of Antisocial Distancing rehearsed in the criminal case of Stolbin, Paramonov and Proshkina. Initially, it was reported that the case was opened under the article on organizing an extremist community (Part 1 of Article 282.1 of the Criminal Code).

Sources

• The Kaluga District Court recognized the anarchist social structure and the rock group “Antisocial Distancing” as terrorists // Telegram channel “Operational reports”. 2024. January 10.