The danger of new riots against the Caucasians has survived in Kondopoga
Photo: Mikhail Razuvaev
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The Provocative and Aggressive Behavior
The Court of Kondopoga (Karelia, northern Russia) jailed yesterday three Chechens involved in the scuffle in Chaika café, which gave rise to the mass riots. The main reason, said Karelia’s chief Sergey Katanandov, was the provocative and aggressive behavior of other nation before the very eyes of the people of Karelia. The authorities fear new riots will inflame in Kondopoga soon.
In Kondopoga, no one but for police could be seen till 6:00 a.m. Monday; the streets were empty, while the authorities feared the Saturday riots would break out again.
The root cause of disorders was killing the locals in Chaika café a week ago, at night from Monday to Tuesday. It was just a brawl with a barman of Caucasus origin at first. But it progressed to massacre once some to 25 to 30 Caucasians armed with the knives and metal bars broke into the cafe. They came to kill, not to fight, the locals said. The shootout and beating lasted for five to ten minutes. Then, the Caucasians safely got into the cars and left the café.
Two police cars were parked near the café during the massacre and a third one arrived after a while. But the police didn’t step out of the cars, the locals said.
At least two people, Griogry Slezov and Sergey Usin, were killed in Chaika that night, according to official data. The third victim died in the ambulance en route to the hospital and one more passed away in the crisis therapy department. Six people are in the hospital now treated for the penetrating knife wounds and bruises, the condition of three of them is grave.
The prosecutors brought in a criminal case and six Caucasians were detained. Of them, three were given up by the Chechen community of Petrozavodsk.
The Friday funeral of Chaika victims drew nearly all Kondopoga. The next day, a spontaneous riot started there, close to the market of the town. The crowd of 2,000 (Kondopoga has 30,000 residents overall) moved to the premises of authorities. The town was free from Caucasians that day. They had left for Petrozavodsk straight after the Chaika scuffle.
Kondopoga mayor and prosecutor came up to protestors, to no avail though. The crowd attacked the Caucasian-owned Chaika café, Flamingo store and the 4th store, throwing stones and bottles with inflammable mixture at them. The shop assistants and personnel of the stores were rescued by the police.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 05, 2006
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