The Walk of the dissension

the Walk of the dissension (in Russian, " Маршнесогласных" , literally the walk of those which are not agreement) is the name given to the manifestations of the opposition in Russia which took place the December 16th 2006 and the April 14th 2007 with Moscow, the March 3rd and the April 15th 2007 with Saint-Pétersbourg and the March 24th 2007 with Nijni-Novgorod.

These demonstrations were organized by the plain civic Front Russian (: Объединённыйгражданскийфронт), chaired by Garry Kasparov, the former world champion of failures and Mikhail Kassianov, former Russian Prime Minister. The Face gathers various Russian political movements, of left and right-hand side, which assert a change of the political system formed during the years of the presidency of Vladimir Poutine, characterized by a retreat of the democracy, the suppression of the elections at various levels of the capacity and the modification of the legislation on the political parties.

Moscow, on December 16th, 2006

With Moscow, the December 16th 2006, the demonstration joined together of 2000 to 4000 people (according to various sources). The route envisaged was blocked by the police force; certain organizers of the demonstration could not reach the place envisaged because of the obstacles created by the police force; approximately 250 people were stopped during the demonstration in the Trioumfalnaïa place of Moscow.

Saint-Pétersbourg, on March 3rd, 2007

With Saint-Pétersbourg, the March 3rd 2007, the demonstration joined together of 800 (according to the police force) with 15.000 (according to the opposition) people (neutral source: approximately 5000). As in Moscow, Walk was prohibited by the local authorities, but it took place in spite of the obstacles and the confrontations with the police force. A hundred people (official source) were stopped and slackened little time after, including the chief of the party National-Bolshevik Edouard Limonov. Some people were wounded during the confrontations.

Nijni-Novgorod, on March 24th, 2007

With Nijni-Novgorod, the March 24th 2007, the demonstration prohibited under different pretexts (a festival of children, research archaeological, building work, etc) and severely was repressed by the local authorities. The majority of its organizers were continued during the week preceding the demonstration. The downtown area was completely blocked by the police force, much of participants could not reach everywhere the place envisaged because of the interpellations in the city and the area, but a small demonstration succeeded in taking place beside the Gorki place, during approximately 20 minutes, before being crushed by the police officers. According to the data quoted by various sources, including the radio Echo of Moscow, at least a hundred people succeeded in crossing the many obstacles created by the police force. 3000 police officers, buildings and convened areas close to the city, were to crush the movement, approximately 200 people were challenged; some chiefs of the movement were stopped and will be continued for terrorism.

Moscow and Saint-Pétersbourg, the 14 and on April 15th, 2007

Two manifestations of the Walk of the dissension took place the 14 and on April 15th, 2007 with Moscow and Saint-Pétersbourg respectively.

The opinion of demonstration in Moscow for on April 14th was addressed to the authorities on April 2nd, but it was rejected quickly and the refusal was explained by the fact that another association had deposited its opinion one minute (!) before that of Walk and their demonstration will have to take place at the same place and same hour. The authorities proposed to the organizers of the demonstration to gather in Touchino, a district in the North-West of Moscow, located at 15km of the downtown area. The organizers of Walk did not accept this proposal.

As for the preceding steps, of the continuations were launched against the people taking part in the organization of the demonstrations, a few days before the date planned for walk. Mr. Kassianov and E. Limonov received official warnings of the Parquet floor, which advised to them not to take part in it. At the same time, the chief of the party in power plain Russia, Boris Gryzlov, declared on April 12th that it was unfavourable " with any walk or demonstration, whose participants try to express their opinion on the events which occur to Russia. I think that the demonstrations must take place at the time of the festivals, when people leave in the street and have fun the festival. But the demonstrations, which aim to destabilize the political situation and to express opinions, it is dangereux."

April 13rd, the ONG Human Rights Watch expressed its concern in connection with a possible crushing of the demonstrations, envisaged by the authorities. At least 10.000 police officers of the close areas were convened in Moscow in order to " to maintain the order public".

April 14th, all the route of Walk was blocked by the police force. Any person who moved per hour of Walk towards the Pouchkine place to Moscow was likely to be stopped: the police force stopped all those which seemed to be able to take part in the demonstration, including certain journalists. Here an extract of a radio transmission enters the police officers, recorded during the event, published later on by the radio Echo of Moscow:

- We are in front of a group of 20-30 people, Middle Age 60-65 years. Give us an instruction! …

- Stop them, so that nobody penetrates towards this side. Put them in the buses. …

- Stop all those which you see, young people, all. Here side of the place Trioumfalnaïa, a group of 50 people arrives, Kasparov among them.

- Stop them, all. All in the buses. It is not necessary that Kasparov from goes away. Stop it. …

- Khakamada is there, gives an interview to the journalists, moves towards the Pouchkine place.

- also Stop Kassianov, quickly, quickly. Do you need reinforcements? …

Garry Kasparov was stopped before the beginning of the demonstration, it was held during 5 hours in a police station, then convoyed with the court, where, during a lawsuit which lasted approximately 6 hours, it was condemned to pay a fine of 1000 roubles (approximately 30 euros) to have " shouted of the antigovernment slogans in the rue". According to Kasparov, the lawsuit was completely absurd and all was done to prevent it from going the following day to Saint-Pétersbourg for a new Walk.

The participants of Walk gathered finally in the Tourgueniev place (initially envisaged like the final point of Walk), for a meeting which lasted approximately 30 minutes, dispersed then by the police force.

Among the other people stopped during the demonstration one can quote Maria Gaïdar, chief of the youth movement " Da! " (" Alternative démocratique") and Sergueï Parkhomenko, journalist of the radio Echo of Moscow, Sergueï Oudaltsov, chief of the " Avant-garde of youth rouge" (AKM), but they were slackened earlier than Kasparov. On the whole, more than 300 people were stopped during the demonstration. Certain participants were wounded in truncheon blows. According to various estimates, of 1000 to 5000 people took part in the demonstration.

It is to be stressed that several other demonstrations took place simultaneously with the Walk of the dissension in Moscow and were authorized by the capacity: the Union of the forces of the right-hand side " (SPS) gathered its partisans in the place Slavianskaïa with 13:00, the " Congress of the communities russes" (KRO) and the " Movement against immigration illégale" (DPNI) expressed in the Bolotnaïa place with 14:00 (" Go impériale"), while the " Keep jeune" (plain Russia connects) left in Vorobievy Gory. This last demonstration bore the name of the " Go of the accord".

April 15th, with Saint-Pétersbourg, another stage of Walk took place. Walk itself was prohibited by the local authorities, but a meeting in the Pionerskaïa place was authorized. The demonstration occurred without confrontations, but, after the meeting, a column of demonstrators moved towards the station of Vitebsk, with the approach of which it was crushed by the police force. Some people were seriously wounded; a hundred participants were stopped, among them Edouard Limonov, and Maxim Reznik, representing as a chief of the party " Yabloko" in Saint-Pétersbourg.

According to the declarations of the public prosecutor of the Federation of Russia, Youri Tchaïka, " no infringement was announced to the public ministry, I do not know anything in connection with the violations droits" . According to a representative of the Ministry for the Interior, " the police force did not make it possible to carry out an illegal demonstration, acted in a firm way, but strictly within the framework of the loi" .

April 20th Garry Kasparov was convened with FSB of Moscow to give explanations on its remarks made during an emission to the radio Echo of Moscow, suspected of slogans extremists. The interrogation lasted 4 hours and, according to the declaration of Kasparov, occurred correctly.

Nijni-Novgorod, on April 28th, 2007

The following stage of the Walk of the dissension was to take place with Nijni-Novgorod the April 28th 2007. The request, deposited two weeks in advance to announce the demonstration, was rejected immediately by the local authorities. The participants were to gather beside the place Svoboda (place of Freedom), an important crossroads of trasport of the city, which constituted the pretext for the rejection. The days preceding the demonstration knew the same scenario as the other days of Walk: continuations of the organizers, etc In spite of the warning which the demonstration would be repressed, the partisans of Walk met in the hour envisaged. Moreover, this demonstration gathered very few present: a few two tens of people came at the beginning to announce their slogans during approximately three minutes, after which they were stopped by the police officers. A few minutes after, another group of about thirty people arrived; their demonstration lasted twenty minutes and was not dispersed, but some chiefs of the movement, among them Stanislav Dmitrievski, director of Association for the Russo-tchétchène friendship, were challenged and held during a few hours.

May 1st, 2007

Traditional demonstrations of May 1st for the " Spring and of Travail" celebrates; gathered a very significant number of partisans of various political movements in all the country, including representatives of the plain civic Front. They joined the columns of their allies with Moscow, Saint-Pétersbourg, Oulianovsk, Voronej, Oufa and other cities, with the slogans " We need another Russie" , " Russia without Poutine" .

In general, these demonstrations occurred without incidents, except during the arrest of some people with Voronej, of the dispersion of the column with Oufa under pretext that the participants " slogans and flags inconvenables" carried; and with Riazan, where the distance covered was only 15 meters.

Samara, on May 18th, 2007

The May 3rd 2007 the advertisement of Walk was addressed to the local authorities. A press conference took place in order to present the claims. This Walk was to take place the same day as the top " Russia - UE" in Samara. As for the preceding Steps, the police force started to draw up obstacles with the organizers of the demonstration, for example:

- the journalist Dimitri Trechtchanine, member of the movement " Another Russie" , on May 6th by police officers with the military police station of the city was convoyed where it received a convocation to make its military service starting from May 21st, 2007.

- on May 10th, a searching was carried out in the buildings of association " Golos" (" Voix") in Samara, following the speeches of one representing of association during an emission to the radio Echo of Moscow devoted to Walk, under pretext of the use of software pirated by association. Mikhaïl Gangan, member of the old party National-Bolshevik, was stopped and held during a few hours, after which it received a convocation with the court without any indication of licit cause. Ilia Gouriev, member of the same party, condemned before to suspended sentence to have taken part in one of the steps of the party, was stopped and was seen modifying its sorrow of imprisonment in six months firm.

- on May 11th, of the searchings were carried out in the representation of the newspaper Novaya gazeta in Samara, under the same pretext as for association " Golos" , and in all local printing works in order to seek leaflets for the Walk of the dissension.

- on May 13rd, certain organizers of the Walk and the billstickers for the demonstration were stopped and held during a few hours.

- the 15 and on May 16th, the continuations and the searchings continue in Samara; pressures do not cease being exerted on the organizers, among them the installation of a panel " Sought by the police" in the downtown area of Samara, with the photographs of about thirty people, members of the old party National-Bolshevik.

Finally Walk was accepted by the public authorities, under condition of a modification of the route envisaged initially. The Committee for the protection of the journalists (the United States), expressed his concern in an official statement in connection with the arrests and of the searchings with Samara, while the local mass media refused to diffuse messages on the preparation of Walk. May 14th, a press conference took place in Moscow, with Ludmila Alexéeva (Helsinki Group of Moscow) and Lev Ponomariov (movement " For the rights of the homme"), conscrée with the continuations of the journalists and the partisans of the demonstration with Samara.

Garry Kasparov and Edouard Limonov announced their intention to take part in the Walk of the dissension with Samara, but on May 18th in the morning, when they went to the airport Chérémétiévo to take the plane for Samara, they could not pass control: their passports were retained by the police officers of the airport without explaining the reason of it, until the last plane for Samara leaves. After, the passports were returned to their holders, but their tickets were declared false. Thus, Kasparov, Limonov, Ponomariov and a group of journalists who accompanied them could not take part in the demonstration.

The demonstration itself generally proceeded without incidents (6 people stopped on the whole) and it joined together, according to the sources of opposition, to 500 people and 100, according to neutral sources.

Despite everything the obstacles created, Edouard Limonov declared that this Walk was a " success absolu" .

Moreover, the continuations did not cease after the day of Walk. May 19th, of the agents of the Russian special forces penetrated in the apartment rented by participants of Walk, after having challenged and having filmed those which were present there, the latter were convoyed with the local police stations, which required of a number of them to leave the town of Samara.

Tchéliabinsk, on May 19th, 2007

A manifestation of the Walk of the dissension was authorized with Tchéliabinsk, on May 19th; certainly thanks to the modification of the route envisaged initially. The demonstration day before, any walk had been prohibited, a meeting only had been authorized.

However, 150 participants of the movement gathered at the initial place (crossing of the avenues Lénine and Sverdlov) and walked to the monument of Kourtchatov, where the demonstration was reduced to the absurdity by representatives of pro-Kremlin movements: another demonstration, counting approximately 200 people, of some " Association of the sportsmen glamor" took place at the same place and at the same time. Slogans of the Walk of the dissension " It is our city! " , " Not at the police State! " , " We need another Russia! " and " Russia without Poutine" cotoyé slogans like " Not at the summer, yes with snow! " , " We are not agreement with the arrival of the winter! " . The latter were stressed in order to crush the slogans of Walk. According to the representatives of the police force, " the two demonstrations were authorized and did not leave out of the framework of the law, the law and order was ensured and no provocation was admise".

Russian media in connection with Walk

The little of time where Russian television spoke as of these demonstrations, they was presented like " agitations and gatherings of an unimportant number of elements extremists or partisans of the revolution orange". For example, after the walk of the March 24th, the plenipotentiary representative of the Russian president in the district of the Volga, Alexandre Konovalov, declared that " … if they are questioned, they will not be able to explain clearly, with what they are not agreement. I have the impression, which they could not find for themselves a suitable application in their employment, their families, in the activities for the good of the company " according to the agency RIA Novosti.

The First television channel devoted a few seconds of diffusion to the Walk of the dissension in a report on the manifestations of April 14th: " … On other side of Tverskaya gathered ultraradicaux . The attempt at a demonstration not - authorized was repressed by the police force. Approximately 170 people were stopped.

Surveys

May 3rd, 2007, the Lévada center published a sociological study of the political situation in March - April. One of the questions of the survey was " You heard of the " Steps of the désaccord" who took place in Moscow, Saint-Pétersbourg, Nijni-Novgorod and other cities; if so, which is your attitude towards these demonstrations? " Here results of this survey:

The Russian Center of study of the public opinion (VCIOM) publishes on May 15th the results of its investigation on the Walk of the dissension. Here data presented:

Lately in Moscow and in other cities takes place of the " Steps of the désaccord". Did you intend to speak about it?

- " I am not with the courant" - 49%

- " I intended some to speak " a little; - 43%

- " I am these événements" - 5%

- " Difficult of répondre" - 3%

Of which sources did you learn the existence from the Steps? (several possible answers)

- " Difficult of répondre" -47%

- Television - 42%

- Radio - 7%

- Written press -7%

- " My friends/knowledge me have parlé" of it; -5%

- Internet -3%

- " I have participé" there; -1%

did you retain unspecified slogans of the Walk of the dissension? If so, which?

- " Difficult of répondre" -96%

- Antigovernment Slogans, resignation of the president -1%

- Reduction of the loads and improvement of the urban services -1%

- Increase in the retirement pensions -1%

- Wage increases -1%

- Others -1%

Is Which, in your opinion, the objectives of the organizers and the participants of Walk?

- Attempt to draw the attention of the capacities to the social problems -8%

- Destabilization of the political situation -5% - Fight for the respect of the rights and freedoms civic -5%

- Attempt to be distinguished from the other political movements -4%

- Expression of the dissension with the policy of the State -4%

- Political struggle for the capacity -2%

- Personal Objectives of the participants -2%

- No precise objectives -1%

- Others -1% - Difficult to answer - 72%

Topicality

May 17th - Edouard Limonov announces two new Steps of the dissension which will take place with Saint-Pétersbourg and with Moscow the 9 and on June 11th. Their routes are not revealed yet.

May 21st - Following the incident which has occurred on May 18th with the Chérémétievo airport, a complaint was deposited at the Russian Public ministry on behalf of G.Kasparov against the " infringements and the abuse of power made by the police". Among the infringements noted in the complaint appears a reference to the statement drawn up to the airport. According to this statement, Kasparov was held because " it did not deposit with the military police station the lists of the people who must follow a primary education subscription for the service militaire" , according to Gazeta.ru.

Representatives of the " Another Russie" announced that they would not organize any more Steps of the dissension with Nijni-Novgorod, planned for the end of May and at the beginning of June, because of a pressure carried out by the local authorities, according to the radio operator Echo of Moscow.

References

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