2006 Russian March
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Russian March was an extensive enterprise on organizing the wide-ranging nationalist
public mass demonstration, one of annual Russian marches
in several major Russian cities under the slogan "it's our country", attached to November 4, 2006, the Day of National Unity
. Among the most notable participants were the Movement Against Illegal Immigration
, the main organiser of rallies, Eurasian Youth Union
, the Communist Youth Vanguard, the National State Party of Russia and the State Duma
deputy Nikolay Kuryanovich who was excluded from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
for his sympathy with the March. The March was also supported by the Deputy Chief of the Moscow branch of Yabloko
Alexey Navalny
. Other participants were the National Patriotic Front "Memory"
, the "Truth" Community, the Russian National Union
, the Russian Social Movement and the "Russian Order" Movement. The final destination for gatherings in Moscow
became the Slavyanskaya Square
, though the March was banned by city mayor Yuriy Luzhkov
on October 31.
Besides Moscow, the March embraced Saint Petersburg
, Krasnoyarsk
, Novosibirsk
, Chita, Stavropol
, Maykop
, Tyumen
, Vladivostok
, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
, Blagoveshchensk
, Nizhniy Novgorod and Kaliningrad
, but was banned in the majority of cities as well. Irkutsk
officially allowed the March. The rallies took place also in Ukraine
(Kiev
, Crimea
, Odessa
, Sevastopol
), Moldova
(Chişinău
, Tiraspol
) and Tbilisi
. The Heads of Russian Youth of Moldova
and Eurasian Youth Union of the Republic of Moldova have been arrested. Though the using of Nazi symbols was prohibited by organizers, a flag with conventionalized swastika
was raised by the Head of SS-Slavic Union Dmitriy Demushkin in Moscow.
Banning the march in Moscow, mayor Yuriy Luzhkov
said: "If we allow our state to be split on ethnic or interconfessional grounds, if we allow religious wars, then I am afraid this will be the end of Russia." A counter-protest in Moscow by left-wing demonstrators drew about 500 people carrying banners with slogans such as "Russian Anti-Fascist Front" and "I am Russian and therefore not a fascist." The March was also opposed by the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights and Russian Jewish community headed by rabbi
Berel Lazar
. Krasnoyarsk youth organizations "Together!", "Krasnoyarsk Regional Student Squads", "Krasnoyarsk Youth Forum", "Yenisey Patriots" and "Youth Guards of United Russia" have prepared a written appeal to Governor of Krasnoyarsk Oblast Alexander Khloponin and city mayor Pyotr Pimashkov to prevent holding of Russian March in the city. However the Movement Against Illegal Immigration
told Reuters
it would go ahead with their gatherings regardless of whether they were authorized or not.
A separate mass-meeting called the Right March have been organized by several Orthodox
movements (the National Council, the Orthodox Standard Bearers Union and The Bastion), which declared their independent intentions.
during the Russo-Polish War of 1605–1618 on 22 October O.S. (November 4 N.S.), which was subsequently marked by tsar
in 1612 as a feast day. The preparations for 2006 March have been launched by the Action Against Illegal Immigrantion and Eurasian Youth Union. Due to this the march has had two different names and two different schedules.
Russian nationalism
Russian nationalism is a term referring to a Russian form of nationalism. Russian nationalism has a long history dating from the days of Muscovy to Russian Empire, and continued in some form in the Soviet Union. It is closely related to Pan-Slavism...
public mass demonstration, one of annual Russian marches
Russian March
Russian March is an annual nationalist mass demonstration in several major Russian cities and in other ex-USSR countries. Russian marches usually take place on or around November 4, on the Day of National Unity celebrated in Russia...
in several major Russian cities under the slogan "it's our country", attached to November 4, 2006, the Day of National Unity
Unity Day (Russia)
Unity Day, Day of People’s Unity or National Unity Day was celebrated in the Russian Empire until 1917 and in Russia from 2005. Held on November 4 , it commemorates the popular uprising which expelled the Polish-Lithuanian occupation force from Moscow in November 1612, and more generally the end...
. Among the most notable participants were the Movement Against Illegal Immigration
Movement Against Illegal Immigration
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration is a Russian nationalist and anti-Illegal immigration organization. The organization is led by Aleksandr Belov a former member of ultra-nationalist Pamyat...
, the main organiser of rallies, Eurasian Youth Union
Eurasia Party
The Eurasia Party was registered as a political party by the Ministry of Justice of Russia on 21 June 2002, approximately one year after the Pan-Russian Eurasia Movement was established by Aleksandr Dugin...
, the Communist Youth Vanguard, the National State Party of Russia and the State Duma
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
deputy Nikolay Kuryanovich who was excluded from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia , Liberal'no-Demokraticheskaya Partiya Rossii is a political party in Russia. Since its founding in 1991, it has been led by the charismatic and controversial figure Vladimir Zhirinovsky...
for his sympathy with the March. The March was also supported by the Deputy Chief of the Moscow branch of Yabloko
Yabloko
The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" (Russian: Росси́йская объединённая демократи́ческая па́ртия «Я́блоко» Rossiyskaya obyedinyonnaya demokraticheskaya partiya "Yabloko"; is a Russian social...
Alexey Navalny
Alexey Navalny
Alexei Anatolievich Navalny is a Russian political and social activist who in recent years gained great prominence amongst Russian bloggers and mass media due to his social campaigning activity...
. Other participants were the National Patriotic Front "Memory"
Pamyat
Pamyat is a Russian nationalist organization identifying itself as the "People's National-patriotic Orthodox Christian movement." The group's stated focus is preserving Russian culture.- History :...
, the "Truth" Community, the Russian National Union
Russian National Union
The Russian National Union was a Neo-Nazi party in Russia. The party should not be confused with Russian National Unity, a larger group with similar roots, although with no direct connection....
, the Russian Social Movement and the "Russian Order" Movement. The final destination for gatherings in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
became the Slavyanskaya Square
Slavyanskaya Square
Slavyanskaya Square is the square in the center of Moscow, also known in 1924-1991 as northern side of Nogina Square ; the southern side of former Nogina Square is now called Varvarka Gates Square . These two square separates central Kitai-gorod from eastward Tagansky District...
, though the March was banned by city mayor Yuriy Luzhkov
Yuriy Luzhkov
Yury Mikhaylovich Luzhkov is a Russian politician who was the Mayor of Moscow from 1992 to 2010. He was also vice-chairman and one of the founders of the ruling United Russia party....
on October 31.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk is a city and the administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located on the Yenisei River. It is the third largest city in Siberia, with the population of 973,891. Krasnoyarsk is an important junction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and one of Russia's largest producers of...
, Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
, Chita, Stavropol
Stavropol
-International relations:-Twin towns/sister cities:Stavropol is twinned with: Des Moines, United States Béziers, France Pazardzhik, Bulgaria-External links:* **...
, Maykop
Maykop
Maykop is the capital city of the Republic of Adygea, Russia, located on the right bank of the Belaya River . Population: -History:...
, Tyumen
Tyumen
Tyumen is the largest city and the administrative center of Tyumen Oblast, Russia, located on the Tura River east of Moscow. Population: Tyumen is the oldest Russian settlement in Siberia. Founded in 16th century to support Russia's eastward expansion, the city has remained one of the most...
, Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
-Demographics:Most residents are ethnic Russians, but there also exists a sizable population of Koreans. Of the 43,000 Sakhalin Koreans, half are estimated to live in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, comprising roughly 12% of the city's population...
, Blagoveshchensk
Blagoveshchensk
Blagoveshchensk is a city and the administrative center of Amur Oblast, Russia. Population: -Early history of the region:The early residents of both sides of the Amur in the region of today's Blagoveshchensk were the Daurs and Duchers...
, Nizhniy Novgorod and Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
, but was banned in the majority of cities as well. Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
officially allowed the March. The rallies took place also in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
(Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
), Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
(Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
, Tiraspol
Tiraspol
Tiraspol is the second largest city in Moldova and is the capital and administrative centre of the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic . The city is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River...
) and Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
. The Heads of Russian Youth of Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
and Eurasian Youth Union of the Republic of Moldova have been arrested. Though the using of Nazi symbols was prohibited by organizers, a flag with conventionalized swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
was raised by the Head of SS-Slavic Union Dmitriy Demushkin in Moscow.
Banning the march in Moscow, mayor Yuriy Luzhkov
Yuriy Luzhkov
Yury Mikhaylovich Luzhkov is a Russian politician who was the Mayor of Moscow from 1992 to 2010. He was also vice-chairman and one of the founders of the ruling United Russia party....
said: "If we allow our state to be split on ethnic or interconfessional grounds, if we allow religious wars, then I am afraid this will be the end of Russia." A counter-protest in Moscow by left-wing demonstrators drew about 500 people carrying banners with slogans such as "Russian Anti-Fascist Front" and "I am Russian and therefore not a fascist." The March was also opposed by the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights and Russian Jewish community headed by rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Berel Lazar
Berel Lazar
Rabbi Shlomo Dovber Pinchas Lazar, better known as Berel Lazar, is an Orthodox, Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi. He is presently Chief Rabbi of Russia, and chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities...
. Krasnoyarsk youth organizations "Together!", "Krasnoyarsk Regional Student Squads", "Krasnoyarsk Youth Forum", "Yenisey Patriots" and "Youth Guards of United Russia" have prepared a written appeal to Governor of Krasnoyarsk Oblast Alexander Khloponin and city mayor Pyotr Pimashkov to prevent holding of Russian March in the city. However the Movement Against Illegal Immigration
Movement Against Illegal Immigration
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration is a Russian nationalist and anti-Illegal immigration organization. The organization is led by Aleksandr Belov a former member of ultra-nationalist Pamyat...
told Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
it would go ahead with their gatherings regardless of whether they were authorized or not.
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
movements (the National Council, the Orthodox Standard Bearers Union and The Bastion), which declared their independent intentions.
Background
The first Russian March took place on November 4, 2005 and was the first legal far-right mass meeting in modern Russian history. Both rallies have been inspired by expulsion of Polish-Lithuanian forces from the Moscow KremlinMoscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin , sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River , Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square and the Alexander Garden...
during the Russo-Polish War of 1605–1618 on 22 October O.S. (November 4 N.S.), which was subsequently marked by tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
in 1612 as a feast day. The preparations for 2006 March have been launched by the Action Against Illegal Immigrantion and Eurasian Youth Union. Due to this the march has had two different names and two different schedules.