Tea and cakes could be the last-minute way to avoid trouble at Saturday's banned gay rights march, just hours ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest final.
Visiting British activist Peter Tatchell, who was badly beaten at a gay pride march on Tverskaya Ulitsa in 2007, has offered an open invitation to anti-gay Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov to meet and discuss their differences.
"We are not seeking confrontation," Tatchell said by telephone from London on Wednesday, before flying to Moscow. "I would ask Mayor Luzhkov to meet me and a delegation of Russian gay campaigners. We are seeking cooperation and an amicable solution. Dialogue with the mayor would be useful. I'm sure we can sort out these issues over a cup of tea and a cake at City Hall."
Beneath Tatchell's friendly approach, though, lies an iron will to change attitudes in what he calls "probably the most homophobic country in Europe", especially with the high-camp kitsch of Eurovision attracting thousands of lesbian and gay visitors to Moscow this weekend.
Tatchell added: "Given that the world's media will be in Moscow for the Eurovision Song Contest it would be a PR disaster for the authorities if they banned the parade, especially if marchers were arrested and beaten up. It would do untold damage to Russia's public image around the world.
"On the other hand, if they allow the march to go ahead then there will be no fuss and the mayor will win plaudits for his magnanimity and generosity."
Luzhkov was aware of the activists' request, but had refused to meet with them, an employee at City Hall's press office said by telephone on Thursday.
Sergei Tsoi, a City Hall spokesman, told reporters last week that the march, scheduled for Saturday noon in Alexandrovsky Sad, should not go ahead and would not be sanctioned by the authorities.
"The Moscow government is declaring that there has never been and never will be a gay parade in Moscow," he said. He went on to accuse marchers of "destroying the moral foundations of our society" and said plans for protestors to gather without permission "threatened the lives and security of Muscovites and guests to the capital".
Tsoi said that the authorities' position was backed by the Russian Orthodox Church, youth and veterans' groups and multi-cultural societies, warning that any unauthorised parade would be broken up by police.
Moscow-based march organiser Nikolai Alexeyev claimed that 500 activists were ready to attend a legitimate rally, but still expects at least 100 protesters to defy the ban and risk arrest to make their point.
That could have a knock-on effect for the glitzy Eurovision final at the Olimpiisky Stadium across town. Dutch singer Gordon Heukenroth, frontman of the group The Toppers, has vowed he will refuse to perform if the Gay Pride march is met with violence.
But he hoped not to have to carry out his threat. "After being one week in Moscow and experiencing the wonderful hospitality of the Russian people we all cannot believe that anything bad will happen during Gay Pride," Heukenroth told Dutch broadcaster NOS. "The Eurovision Song Contest is known to be an international event of love and happiness. We all have to cherish this message [for] the next couple of days."
Tatchell dismissed claims that the planned march was simply a publicity stunt, insisting that it was an essential tool to break down prejudice.
"The Russian government won't listen to polite letters and won't talk to gay campaigners, so protest is the only option," he said. "Visibility helps break down prejudice by showing that gay Russians are just like any other Russians except they happen to love someone of the same sex. There's a need for gay protests while gays face huge scale of homophobic prejudice and discrimination, blackmail and harassment."
Tatchell's assessment was backed up by a recent report from human rights campaigners the Moscow Helsinki Group, which found that Russia's gay and lesbian community faced serious prejudice, particularly at work.
In addition to highlighting problems with homophobia in society, the report also said the authorities displayed a "tolerant attitude towards manifestations of this discrimination", which contribute to "the legitimisation of an ideology of neo-Nazism and religious fundamentalism". N
Showing posts with label Demonstration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Demonstration. Show all posts
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Saturday, 2 May 2009
Bigger May Day protests planned
An unprecedented nationwide turnout for May Day demonstrations and rallies is expected on Friday as workers look to protest against the deepening economic crisis.
The traditional labour holiday, usually a festive affair dominated by nostalgia for Soviet times, could serve as a litmus test of public discontent, protest organisers and other labour activists said ahead of the holiday.
Officials in Moscow are bracing themselves for a much bigger turnout than usual from across the entire political spectrum.
"The mayor's office has received over 43 requests from various political and public organizations, as well as civilian groups, to hold meetings, marches and demonstrations on May 1, with a the total number of participants exceeding 70,000 people," Leonid Krutakov, a City Hall spokesman, was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying on Tuesday. "The mayor's office has never seen so many requests for public events."
And Moscow is not alone. Taking advantage of Friday's holiday, the Communist Party said it expected bigger-than-usual demonstrations across the country.
"There will be mass demonstrations in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and, of course, in the industrial centres, such as Novosibirsk and Omsk. We expect a lot of people to turn out in the Altai region, in Udmurtia and North Ossetia," said Vladimir Kashin, deputy chairman of the party's Central Committee and a Duma deputy. "People will demand a change in the government's course, and indeed a change of government, as well as raising economic and social demands, such as a halt in the growth of tariffs and pharmaceutical prices."
Kashin said his party expected up to 7,000 people to turn up in central Russian cities such as Ryazan and Voronezh.
He added that the party had agreed to hold 10 joint protests with independent trade unions.
The crisis would mean that this year's parades would be larger than in previous years, Kashin said. "It's an infringement upon the social, economic and political rights of the workers on the part of the bourgeoisie. And the working class does not have any other holidays when they can protest together. Of course, joblessness and a drop in prices have played a role. Meanwhile, the oligarchy is embezzling funds destined for the people."
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions, which is loyal to the government and affiliated to the United Russia party, acknowledged that this year's May Day would be different. The federation expects to see about 2.5 million people join its demonstrations nationwide, which is about the same as last year, said spokesman Alexander Shershukov. "Last year, it was more of a holiday," he said. "This year, because of falling standards of living the accent will be on the problems."
Regional branches of the federation are hoping for a more open discussion on what the government can do better in fighting the crisis, said Shershukov.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, was not immediately available to comment on how the government was monitoring the traditional holiday for signs of public discontent.
Shershukov's predictions, meanwhile, mirrored those of some independent activists, who said that they did not expect more people, but they did expect the protests to be more active.
"I can't speak for all regions, but in Moscow and St. Petersburg there will be traditional labour marches - for the workers, for socialism and for revolution," said Alexander Lekhtman of the Institute of Collective Action, a left-wing pressure group.
"I don't think there will be a lot more people, but the quality will be better. The number of organisations has increased. For example, in St. Petersburg, there will be workers from General Motors. I can't say anything about broken glass or riots - I don't expect that will happen."
Some experts said they did not expect massive social unrest.
"I think it will be on the local level and I think in most cities it will be the Communists and other left-wing groups," said Yevgeny Gontmakher, director of social studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Gontmakher caused something of a stir in November with an article in Vedomosti warning of potentially massive social unrest as a result of the crisis.
"The slogans of course will be against the government, even against Putin, but I think it'll be very peaceful, without any conflict with the police," he said.
"This year of course there'll be more people and more political slogans. Before, maybe you remember, on May 1 the typical slogans were for higher salaries, against unemployment or some other demands. Now it'll be more political, but it's not a big event in our political lives."
One pro-government researcher poured cold water on the idea of bigger protests developing.
"The opinion polls we have been analysing from the All-Russian Centre for Public Opinion [VTsIOM] all suggest that protest sentiment is at zero," said Olga Kuzina, a sociologist and general director of the National Agency for Financial Studies, which is associated with VTsIOM, a state-run polling agency.
"There won't be massive unrest. If people blame someone, it's their boss, or the regional administration. I think people understand that protesting against the crisis is like protesting against the sun rising."
The traditional labour holiday, usually a festive affair dominated by nostalgia for Soviet times, could serve as a litmus test of public discontent, protest organisers and other labour activists said ahead of the holiday.
Officials in Moscow are bracing themselves for a much bigger turnout than usual from across the entire political spectrum.
"The mayor's office has received over 43 requests from various political and public organizations, as well as civilian groups, to hold meetings, marches and demonstrations on May 1, with a the total number of participants exceeding 70,000 people," Leonid Krutakov, a City Hall spokesman, was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying on Tuesday. "The mayor's office has never seen so many requests for public events."
And Moscow is not alone. Taking advantage of Friday's holiday, the Communist Party said it expected bigger-than-usual demonstrations across the country.
"There will be mass demonstrations in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and, of course, in the industrial centres, such as Novosibirsk and Omsk. We expect a lot of people to turn out in the Altai region, in Udmurtia and North Ossetia," said Vladimir Kashin, deputy chairman of the party's Central Committee and a Duma deputy. "People will demand a change in the government's course, and indeed a change of government, as well as raising economic and social demands, such as a halt in the growth of tariffs and pharmaceutical prices."
Kashin said his party expected up to 7,000 people to turn up in central Russian cities such as Ryazan and Voronezh.
He added that the party had agreed to hold 10 joint protests with independent trade unions.
The crisis would mean that this year's parades would be larger than in previous years, Kashin said. "It's an infringement upon the social, economic and political rights of the workers on the part of the bourgeoisie. And the working class does not have any other holidays when they can protest together. Of course, joblessness and a drop in prices have played a role. Meanwhile, the oligarchy is embezzling funds destined for the people."
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions, which is loyal to the government and affiliated to the United Russia party, acknowledged that this year's May Day would be different. The federation expects to see about 2.5 million people join its demonstrations nationwide, which is about the same as last year, said spokesman Alexander Shershukov. "Last year, it was more of a holiday," he said. "This year, because of falling standards of living the accent will be on the problems."
Regional branches of the federation are hoping for a more open discussion on what the government can do better in fighting the crisis, said Shershukov.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, was not immediately available to comment on how the government was monitoring the traditional holiday for signs of public discontent.
Shershukov's predictions, meanwhile, mirrored those of some independent activists, who said that they did not expect more people, but they did expect the protests to be more active.
"I can't speak for all regions, but in Moscow and St. Petersburg there will be traditional labour marches - for the workers, for socialism and for revolution," said Alexander Lekhtman of the Institute of Collective Action, a left-wing pressure group.
"I don't think there will be a lot more people, but the quality will be better. The number of organisations has increased. For example, in St. Petersburg, there will be workers from General Motors. I can't say anything about broken glass or riots - I don't expect that will happen."
Some experts said they did not expect massive social unrest.
"I think it will be on the local level and I think in most cities it will be the Communists and other left-wing groups," said Yevgeny Gontmakher, director of social studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Gontmakher caused something of a stir in November with an article in Vedomosti warning of potentially massive social unrest as a result of the crisis.
"The slogans of course will be against the government, even against Putin, but I think it'll be very peaceful, without any conflict with the police," he said.
"This year of course there'll be more people and more political slogans. Before, maybe you remember, on May 1 the typical slogans were for higher salaries, against unemployment or some other demands. Now it'll be more political, but it's not a big event in our political lives."
One pro-government researcher poured cold water on the idea of bigger protests developing.
"The opinion polls we have been analysing from the All-Russian Centre for Public Opinion [VTsIOM] all suggest that protest sentiment is at zero," said Olga Kuzina, a sociologist and general director of the National Agency for Financial Studies, which is associated with VTsIOM, a state-run polling agency.
"There won't be massive unrest. If people blame someone, it's their boss, or the regional administration. I think people understand that protesting against the crisis is like protesting against the sun rising."
Sunday, 5 April 2009
More Opposition Protests In Ukraine
KIEV, Ukraine -- Thousands of Ukrainians jammed Kiev’s main square today to protest government policies amid a worsening financial crisis, as tensions builds ahead of presidential elections later this year.
In the second major anti-government rally in over a week, at least 15,000 protesters waved flags of the opposition Party of Regions and chanted "No!" as they protested what they said was the government’s failure to battle the effects of the financial crisis here, one of the worst in Europe."Look what they’ve done to the country," said Heorhiy Lukash, a 55-year-old unemployed train driver waving a giant blue flag. "They don’t care about ordinary people."Ukraine’s economy shrank by nearly 30 percent in the first two months of this year, the national currency lost nearly half of its value against the dollar and close to 1 million people are unemployed. With elections scheduled for Oct. 25, political tensions are running high, with fears that election posturing and infighting will only prolong — or deepen — the crisis.The International Monetary Fund has offered a $16.4 rescue loan to help the country, but a struggle between President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and other political groups has blocked the much-needed second installment.Parliament needs to pass a series of stabilization measures in order to receive the IMF aid but a crucial vote stalled Thursday, when Party of Regions members blocked parliament doors with chairs and prevented the session from starting. Talks on reviving the legislation are still under way.Addressing supporters at the rally, Party of Regions leader Vyktor Yanukovych called for early parliamentary elections and demanded that the government resign.Even though Yanukovych’s party holds the largest share of seats in the 450-member Verkhovna Rada, he hopes to capitalize on the widespread disillusionment with Yushchenko and Tymoshenko and garner even more seats.Yushchenko on Friday ruled out early elections, saying there were no legal grounds for dissolving the legislature."The sooner they go, the sooner we can bring order to our country," Yanukovych told cheering supporters. "Down with these authorities and let us begin building a country we dream of."The Russia-friendly Yanukovych is seen as a key contender in Oct. 25 vote.His likely main opponent is Tymoshenko, who led the pro-Western 2004 Orange Revolution with Yushchenko, but who has recently also courted Russia.The beleaguered Yushchenko, whose approval ratings have sunk to below 3 percent, however, wants the vote to be held in January and has challenged the date.
In the second major anti-government rally in over a week, at least 15,000 protesters waved flags of the opposition Party of Regions and chanted "No!" as they protested what they said was the government’s failure to battle the effects of the financial crisis here, one of the worst in Europe."Look what they’ve done to the country," said Heorhiy Lukash, a 55-year-old unemployed train driver waving a giant blue flag. "They don’t care about ordinary people."Ukraine’s economy shrank by nearly 30 percent in the first two months of this year, the national currency lost nearly half of its value against the dollar and close to 1 million people are unemployed. With elections scheduled for Oct. 25, political tensions are running high, with fears that election posturing and infighting will only prolong — or deepen — the crisis.The International Monetary Fund has offered a $16.4 rescue loan to help the country, but a struggle between President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and other political groups has blocked the much-needed second installment.Parliament needs to pass a series of stabilization measures in order to receive the IMF aid but a crucial vote stalled Thursday, when Party of Regions members blocked parliament doors with chairs and prevented the session from starting. Talks on reviving the legislation are still under way.Addressing supporters at the rally, Party of Regions leader Vyktor Yanukovych called for early parliamentary elections and demanded that the government resign.Even though Yanukovych’s party holds the largest share of seats in the 450-member Verkhovna Rada, he hopes to capitalize on the widespread disillusionment with Yushchenko and Tymoshenko and garner even more seats.Yushchenko on Friday ruled out early elections, saying there were no legal grounds for dissolving the legislature."The sooner they go, the sooner we can bring order to our country," Yanukovych told cheering supporters. "Down with these authorities and let us begin building a country we dream of."The Russia-friendly Yanukovych is seen as a key contender in Oct. 25 vote.His likely main opponent is Tymoshenko, who led the pro-Western 2004 Orange Revolution with Yushchenko, but who has recently also courted Russia.The beleaguered Yushchenko, whose approval ratings have sunk to below 3 percent, however, wants the vote to be held in January and has challenged the date.
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Russian Marches of Dissent
Wide-scale opposition protests, known as Marches of Dissent, will take place in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities on December 14th, despite bans and stiff pressure from authorities.
Demonstrations by other groups, including the nationalist Movement Against Illegal Immigration (DNPI) and its “Russia March,” have meanwhile had no trouble obtaining permits.
Authorities were also mobilizing police for the weekend, which corresponds with the 15th anniversary of the Russian Constitution. The document was approved by a public referendum on December 13, 1993.
As the RBK business daily reports, some 45 thousand officers have been mobilized around the country to deal with public demonstrations.
No Agreement Reached With Moscow Mayor’s Office
No agreement has been reached with officials on the location of the December 14th March of Dissent, but organizers said the protest would go ahead as planned. Garry Kasparov and Eduard Limonov, two leaders of the Other Russia opposition coalition, met Wednesday with city authorities, who refused to grant a permit to hold the demonstration in central Moscow.
According to Ludmila Mamina, the press secretary for Kasparov’s United Civil Front, authorities offered two alternate locations, the Tarasa Shevchenko embankment and Bolotnaya Ploschad. Siting the demonstration in the city center was impossible because other events were already planned there, said Valery Kadatsky, a Moscow city public safety official. While the March of Dissent was the first to apply for a permit to the Moscow Mayor’s office, the other events, he said, had received permits from the Central Administrative District, and not the city.
Organizers first turned in the required documents for the protest on December 1st.
Still, the opposition organizers pledged not to change the meeting place and route of the event, and said that the Moscow Mayor’s office was not giving them any choice but to break the law.
“They did not make any concessions,” said Limonov. The alternatives proposed by officials, Limonov added, were “deserted” and would not allow anyone to see the demonstrators. “We argued that a street demonstration is about our desire to show other people how we feel, and there would be no other people to see our demonstration in those places [suggested by the city authorities],” Limonov said.
Mamina said that organizers were willing and ready to change the route of the March, but wanted to keep the demonstration central, and use the Triumfalnaya Ploschad (Triumph square) as an initial assembly point. The group has been advertising this location in leaflets and flyers for over a month.
The March of Dissent will take place on December 14th, starting at 2:00PM in Triumfalnaya Ploschad and moving along Tverskaya ulitsa.
Citing Safety Concerns, St. Petersburg March of Dissent Moved to Chernyshevsky Gardens
Citing concerns for the safety of demonstrators, organizers of the St. Petersburg March of Dissent have accepted an alternate location proposed by city officials. Organizers said the ban on their original location was “illegal,” but feared that protestors could be assaulted by law enforcement if the March went ahead illegally. The March will now take place in the Chernyshevsky Gardens, starting at 2:00PM on Sunday December 14th.
Read their statement on the matter below:
Statement by Organizers of the St. Petersburg March of Dissent
We, the organizers of the March of Dissent, used all the legal means available to us to receive permission from city officials to hold a March of Dissent in St. Petersburg. The march would start at an assembly point by the Gostiny Dvor at 2:00 PM.
We proposed three different routes, but the authorities illegally refused all of them. Under these circumstances, in order to ensure the safety of citizens, we were forced, under fierce pressure from law enforcement agencies, to accept a clearly illegal offer to hold the meeting in the Chernyshevsky Gardens.
We understand that most of the invited citizens will come to the Gostiny Dvor meeting point on December 14th at 2:00 PM, as was earlier announced.
We hope that the militsiya and other agents of the law, who have been thrown in with an order to prevent the March of Dissent, will not interfere with citizens who will proceed peacefully, calmly and without breaking the public peace, from the Gostiny Dvor to the new meeting-place.
Demonstrations by other groups, including the nationalist Movement Against Illegal Immigration (DNPI) and its “Russia March,” have meanwhile had no trouble obtaining permits.
Authorities were also mobilizing police for the weekend, which corresponds with the 15th anniversary of the Russian Constitution. The document was approved by a public referendum on December 13, 1993.
As the RBK business daily reports, some 45 thousand officers have been mobilized around the country to deal with public demonstrations.
No Agreement Reached With Moscow Mayor’s Office
No agreement has been reached with officials on the location of the December 14th March of Dissent, but organizers said the protest would go ahead as planned. Garry Kasparov and Eduard Limonov, two leaders of the Other Russia opposition coalition, met Wednesday with city authorities, who refused to grant a permit to hold the demonstration in central Moscow.
According to Ludmila Mamina, the press secretary for Kasparov’s United Civil Front, authorities offered two alternate locations, the Tarasa Shevchenko embankment and Bolotnaya Ploschad. Siting the demonstration in the city center was impossible because other events were already planned there, said Valery Kadatsky, a Moscow city public safety official. While the March of Dissent was the first to apply for a permit to the Moscow Mayor’s office, the other events, he said, had received permits from the Central Administrative District, and not the city.
Organizers first turned in the required documents for the protest on December 1st.
Still, the opposition organizers pledged not to change the meeting place and route of the event, and said that the Moscow Mayor’s office was not giving them any choice but to break the law.
“They did not make any concessions,” said Limonov. The alternatives proposed by officials, Limonov added, were “deserted” and would not allow anyone to see the demonstrators. “We argued that a street demonstration is about our desire to show other people how we feel, and there would be no other people to see our demonstration in those places [suggested by the city authorities],” Limonov said.
Mamina said that organizers were willing and ready to change the route of the March, but wanted to keep the demonstration central, and use the Triumfalnaya Ploschad (Triumph square) as an initial assembly point. The group has been advertising this location in leaflets and flyers for over a month.
The March of Dissent will take place on December 14th, starting at 2:00PM in Triumfalnaya Ploschad and moving along Tverskaya ulitsa.
Citing Safety Concerns, St. Petersburg March of Dissent Moved to Chernyshevsky Gardens
Citing concerns for the safety of demonstrators, organizers of the St. Petersburg March of Dissent have accepted an alternate location proposed by city officials. Organizers said the ban on their original location was “illegal,” but feared that protestors could be assaulted by law enforcement if the March went ahead illegally. The March will now take place in the Chernyshevsky Gardens, starting at 2:00PM on Sunday December 14th.
Read their statement on the matter below:
Statement by Organizers of the St. Petersburg March of Dissent
We, the organizers of the March of Dissent, used all the legal means available to us to receive permission from city officials to hold a March of Dissent in St. Petersburg. The march would start at an assembly point by the Gostiny Dvor at 2:00 PM.
We proposed three different routes, but the authorities illegally refused all of them. Under these circumstances, in order to ensure the safety of citizens, we were forced, under fierce pressure from law enforcement agencies, to accept a clearly illegal offer to hold the meeting in the Chernyshevsky Gardens.
We understand that most of the invited citizens will come to the Gostiny Dvor meeting point on December 14th at 2:00 PM, as was earlier announced.
We hope that the militsiya and other agents of the law, who have been thrown in with an order to prevent the March of Dissent, will not interfere with citizens who will proceed peacefully, calmly and without breaking the public peace, from the Gostiny Dvor to the new meeting-place.
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