Russians demonstrate against US intervention (FT.com) Time of publication: 10.04.2003 |
By Andrew Jack in Moscow
Published: April 10 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: April 10 2003 5:00
Russian crowds belatedly took to the streets of Moscow yesterday to protest at US military intervention in Iraq.
With the conflict already drawing to a close, thousands of people demonstrated in front of the US embassy, chanting slogans that were as much anti-American as anti-war.
Police said that up to 100,000 people took part in the rally, but others put the number far lower. The US embassy said the total was nearer to 10,000.
That would still make it one of the largest gatherings in recent years. Russia has little tradition of public protest, but has been angered by growing US influence and by US forces shooting at a column of Russian diplomats who left Baghdad over the weekend.
Small groups have held protests outside the embassy every few days, and "Walking together", a youth movement tightly linked to the Kremlin, even placed hundreds of barrels of motor oil in the road opposite the US ambassador's residence last month, accompanied by a banner saying: "Please take the oil, stop the war."
There have been a few other colourful incidents - including a cafй in the southern Russian town of Taganrog which refused to serve Americans; and the heavily marketed teen pop duo "Tatu", who performed in the US wearing T-shirts carrying a blunt, four-letter word rejection of war.
After strongly criticising US military intervention just after hostilities began last month, President Vladimir Putin has urged "pragmatism not emotion", but public opinion has remained strongly against the war.
If Mr Putin's regime has been characterised by growing authoritarianism and "managed" democracy, there was an air of "managed" opposition to yesterday's gathering, with the Russian media commenting on its smooth organisation.
The pro-Putin United Russia party, conscious of communist criticism of Mr Putin's pro-western foreign policies in the build-up to December elections, was one of the principal organisers.
There were reports of universities being closed and employees told to attend the protest, as well as signs of specially organised buses. Some 2,000 troops and police gathered outside the US embassy, and within two hours the scene of the demonstration was empty.
Thanks to convol.
Source: FT.com |
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