Volgograd: unidentified people beat protesters of "Candle of Memory"

In Volgograd, on June 21 in the evening, at the action "Candle of Memory" unidentified persons attacked the activists of the public organization "Novye Lyudi" (New people). In the result of attack five members of the organization were beaten. The casualties fail to apply to the police. According to them, the football fans were involved in the incident.

Members of the youth organization "Novye Lyudi" were going to a meeting point at the foot of the Mamayev Kurgan. At that time, the International Action "Candle of Memory" timed to the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War was held there. The activists were to light candles in the memory of perished soldiers. When young people passed by the Central Stadium, where a football match "Rotor-Mashuk KVM" ended recently, the activists, according to them, crossed with a group of drunken football fans.

"We passed by a gathering of fans of the football team unknown to me," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Tatiana Kovalenko, the participant of that event. The girl continued: "Then the raging fans ran up to us and began to beat our guys! They did not touch the girls. We had nothing to do but to run away, because there were very many football fans."

According to Tatiana Kovalenko, the fans' behaviour "was inadequate", and there no policemen in the vicinity. "I believe we should necessarily lodge a complaint why there were no policemen within the first station from the stadium, as in fact after the football match the majority of football fans stood drinking alcoholic beverages," said the girl.

"We passed by a crowd of heavy drunk people," told Alexander Timofeev, who suffered from fans. "At the start, they just looked at us and did nothing. But after a few seconds they approached and started beating us."

According to Timofeev, at least 20 people were attacking them. Five activists suffered.