Environmental Protest in Russia

Alexei Kokin of the Russian Dilettante's Weblog reports on a recent protest by radical Greenies in Moscow.

A few days ago (I think it was Dec. 19), a radical environmentalist group called "Keepers of the Rainbow" picketed the building that houses Putin's Administration (it's actually an official body separate, say, from the cabinet), protesting the new Forest Code. The picket was technically illegal, since the protesters had not received permission from the Moscow city government. My guess is that there were more reporters there than eco guys, but a few minutes after the show started, the protest was brutally suppressed by the Federal Guard Service, responsible for the security of government officials. Brutally indeed: hitting journalists in the face falls under that category. Cameras and recorders were snatched (one lady was reporting live on the radio when they tore the microphone out of her hands), reporters and protesters detained. Apparently, the media people were freed soon enough; the eight detained environmentalists are facing fines for holding an unauthorized gathering.

Personally, I have no sympathy for the radical environmental groups since their goals are usually not in anyone's best interest and they have the nasty habit of regularly breaking the law. They should be treated harshly with fines and jail terms when they do break laws. Given that, however, I don't think they should be brutalized.

With regard to physically assaulting the media while they're doing their job, it should not occur. The media is quite capable of giving themselves black eyes in their normal reporting. They don't need the police to assault them.