In Sochi, several persons injured in picket against cutting down trees

In Sochi, several local residents suffered during the picket against cutting down trees in the territory of the children's centre in Konstitutsii Street. A woman-protestor was delivered to hospital.

On March 28, Sochi residents resumed protest actions in Konstitutsii Street and stated that the authorities failed to keep their promise to freeze the construction of parking lot in the territory of school centre located there. On March 29, the picketers were attacked by unidentified persons.

According to Irina Konovalova, a participant of the picket, "a group of unidentified men looking like athletes in the number of seven, all worn in black clothes and peaky caps, has arrived in the morning on a Audi car with license number plates M808AR of the 23^rd region, and they are busy with dispersing people with the territory of common areas, clearing their way with a KamAZ truck."

At 8:00 a.m., unidentified people attacked Marina Minvaleeva and Alexander Popkov. Clothes of Marina Minvaleeva got torn. The police were called. Five police officers arrived in place in 1.5 hours after the incident. The police officers refused to apply any measures and to reveal identities of the attackers.

Immediately after that incident, an unidentified large man in black jacket severely pushed Zinaida Evdoshenko, the social worker, who stood with a poster reading: "Pakhomov! Remove Fence!", Zinaida Evdoshenko fell and injured her knee.

According to witnesses, the police officers, who were at place, failed to respond to the incident.

The participants of the protest action called for an ambulance, which arrived in place. Zinaida Evdoshenko was delivered to the emergency station in Dagomys Street. She received medical care and pain relief; she was diagnosed with "concussion of left knee joint with sprain". Doctors suggested Zinaida Evdoshenko to put her leg in plaster; however, she refused. The doctors said that they would report the injury to the police and attach medical records to their report.

In his interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, the police officer Alexander Ivanov said that he had not identified breach of the public order. According to him, Zinaida Evdoshenko fell herself; policemen are not authorized to check documents of persons, who destroyed trees in the territory of the children's centre; and all questions should be directed specifically to the Mayor, who controls land plots in Sochi.

City residents, who went to a clinic in Konstitutsii Street and accompanied their children to nearby schools and a kindergarten, witnessed the incidents. Zinaida Evdoshenko and witnesses of the incidents stated that they managed to make a photograph of the attacker and that they would file a complaint to the police.