Skinheads try to frustrate an anti-fascist concert in Moscow

A mass fight provoked by skinheads took place during a rock concert in the Moscow's concert hall named after Gorbunov on Friday, February 19.

A number of opposition parties and public movements, such as SPS, "Yabloko," United Civil Front, Moscow Helsinki Group, and others, organized the anti-fascist concert. During the performance of coloured singers, a group of about 20 people started to shout Nazi mottos. This was followed by a mass fight in the concert hall in which skinheads took part. The fight involved scores of people. "Echo of Moscow" reports that about 15 participants were detained by militia.

Moscow Internal Affairs Department denies the fact of a mass fight involving nationalists and arrest of 15 persons on the concert hall named after Gorbunov.

The capital's law enforcement agency representative said to the press agency that they "have no information on a mass fight in the Gorbunov concert hall and arrest of any people."

"I can not officially confirm this information. However, there were petty clashes during the concert at the concert hall. Law enforcement officers are now clarifying whether or not skinheads took part in them," said the IA Department representative.

Ilya Yashin, leader of the "Oborona" (Defence) movement which acted as one of the concert organizers, provided details of the mass fight.

"One and a half hours after the beginning, during the performance of a group which included coloured performers, a group of about 20 persons started to shout Nazi greetings. A mass fight in the concert hall involving skinheads began some time later. It is only after this that militia started to pull apart the fighting people and called additional militia squads," he said. According to Yashin, about 50 people participated in the fight, reports Lenta.ru.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reported that Andrei Lysikov ("Dolphin"), Stas Bartenev and the "Yesli" group, "Kalinov Most," "Buch," "Post Scriptum," "Paha-Pauyi" and Artemiy Troitskiy, a well-known musical reviewer, would take part in the concert "For Russia without fascism, war or violence!"

"Those who are not afraid and who love freedom are welcome to the concert!" said Troitskiy.

The revenues from the concert will be transferred to "Civil Assistance" foundation for refugees and forced resettlers from hot spots. Part of the revenues will be used for providing assistance to victims of modern-time fascists.

"The today's Russia democratic achievements are jeopardized. Unthinkable corruption, lack of independent mass media and independent judiciary system against the background of an incessant war in Chechnya and across the North Caucasus give rise to pro-fascist feelings in the society, especially among young people. The nationalist infection spreads across Russia thanks to biased mass media and mass culture. Our concert which is a continuation of the December anti-fascist march is the response of Russian democratic organizations to the state lawlessness which reigns in the country," runs the announcement on the concert handed over by its organizers to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

For reference, on December 18, the "Moscow without fascism" march was held in Moscow. The manifestation was a response to the march of nationalists held in the capital on November 4 with slogans against people from the Caucasus region and other national minorities. About two thousand people took part in the manifestation. In the course of a meeting held upon the completion of the anti-fascist march, the formation of a standing Anti-fascist Committee was announced.