Union of Councils for Soviet Jews: Skinheads Suspected of Attacking Petersburg Youth Activists

Neo-Nazis are increasingly participating in politically motivated violence directed against leftist radicals, anti-fascists, and some liberal activists, some of whom have been forming unlikely alliances against neo-Nazis, the Russian government, and various youth organizations set up by the Kremlin to prevent an “Orange Revolution” from happening in Russia. According to a November 18, 2005 article in the St. Petersburg supplement to the national daily Kommersant, on the evening of November 16, a group of youth activists from the far-left Avantguard of Red Youth, the leftist-nationalist National Bolshevik Party and the liberal, pro-Western Yabloko party were set upon by a group of skinheads. The youths had been attending a pro-diversity festival to mark “Tolerance Day.” Around 10 of the activists were attacked by an estimated 20 skinheads; five were injured, three of whom had to be hospitalized. A local National Bolshevik leader accused the pro-Kremlin youth group “Nashi” of being behind the attack, which the local leader of “Nashi” denied, pointing out that his organization has participated in numerous anti-fascist events. This is true, however, “Nashi” leaders have referred to both neo-Nazis and members of liberal parties as “fascists.”