On November 4th, 2005 in Russia on a newly declared Day of National Unity а large manifestation was organized by several extreme right, neo-fascist and fundamentalist Orthodox groups under the slogan «Russia against the occupiers», implying immigrants and foreigners. Among the most noticeable participants was the Movement against Illegal Immigration (DPNI), which inherits the rhetoric of the Western extreme right parties and tries to hide their xenophobic message under a pretext of «legitimate» discussion about immigration and “ethnic” criminality.
The majority of participants were Nazi skinheads and that displayed Nazi salutes, stylicized swastikas and shouted Nazi slogans. Among them were members of “Slavic Union”, radical neo-Nazi group, whose members are figurants of several criminal investigations into murders and violent assaults on foreigners and antifascist activists.
This year the Movement against Illegal Immigration (DPNI) has officially declared the so-called Russian March as one of its priorities, already started agitation for it and promises to mobilize more than 5000 participants in Moscow and hold similar actions in other parts of Russia. “Slaviс Union” has also declared that it is determined to take part in the March. At least two members of the Russian Parliament (N.Kuryanovich, LDPR and A.Saveliev, “Rodina” party) have acknowledged their full support of the demonstration and already took part in the preparatory events for it.
The European Greens express concern with the raising level of xenophobia, anti-immigrant rhetoric and growing influence of extreme-right groups in Russia which meet little or no reprisal from the authorities and often resort to violence.
The European Greens demand that the authorities of Russian Federation increase their efforts to combat xenophobia, all forms of discrimination and manifestations of hatred. The European Greens consider it unacceptable that representatives of authorities support and justify the activities of extreme-right groups and use xenophobic rhetoric.
The Russian law on demonstration doesn't allow a preventive ban of any kind of manifestation. Yet, the European Greens consider it crucial that the authorities declare their official position on the demonstration of extreme-right groups that is declared to take place on November 4th and persecute the hate speech and incitement to hatred and violence.
The European Greens also demand that the Russian authorities allow for peaceful antifascsist counter-demonstrations to take place and provide police protection to counter protests.
