Residents of Dagestan hold auto rally in support of truckers

Today, over 200 passenger cars took part in the motor rally in support of the truckers, who are on a strike against the "Platon" system, held near the village of Manas. The participants of the motor rally and truckers complained about provocations and pressure of power agents.

On April 5, policemen demanded from truckers to abandon a plot of land near the village of Tukhchar. When the protesters refused to disperse, violence was applied to them. The father of one of the truckers has reported about 11 detainees; later, five of them were released.

According to the participants of the today’s motor rally, about a thousand cars took part in it; however, according to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, about 200 cars took part in the rally.

Policemen did not allow the participants of the motor rally to park near the Manas ring highway; and many drivers were forced to drive away.

Those, who refused to remove their cars from the highway shoulder, policemen forced them to do it, "in order to avoid a road traffic jam."

However, they failed to avoid traffic jams. While policemen and the participants of the motor rally were clearing out their relations, traffic on the highway was suspended; and a huge traffic jam formed in the Manas ring highway.

"In no way, we had wanted to block the highway; it was an absolutely peaceful action in support of truckers," said Shamil Magomedov, a participant of the motor rally from Makhachkala.

According to the participants of the motor rally, employees of the GIBDD (traffic police) "fixed the cars, which carried the labels ‘No to Platon!’ and ‘We’re against Platon!’."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot'.