Union of Councils for Soviet Jews: Skinheads Attack Reggae Musicians in Moscow

Reggae musicians were attacked by a group of skinheads outside a concert commemorating the birthday of Bob Marley, according to a February 9, 2006 article in the national daily Novaya Gazeta. The attack took place near the Tochka night club on the evening of February 6. Around 30 people, some of them obviously skinheads, attacked the musicians as they made their way to the club from a nearby metro station. One of the attackers stole a bass guitar as he fled. Another reggae musician was attacked in a separate incident. Mikhail Klimov, who by his name is probably an ethnic Russian, told police that the skinheads set upon him while screaming “Death to blacks!” and “Sieg Heil!” (many Russian neo-Nazis see ethnic Russians who listen to rap or reggae as “race traitors” and have on occasion attacked them).