The end of summer brought forth shocking news of a Russian festival being attacked by skinheads. About a hundred thugs broke into the camp near the city of Miass, where participants of the festival were located, and started beating guests and guards. It seemed that nothing like that could happen in Ukraine. As it turned out, we were wrong. It can happen in Ukraine as well. On a small scale, but still.
Sunday night a group of 15 thugs with baseball bats wearing sport suits attacked guards and organizers of the insurgent and patriotic festival “Haidamaky.UA.” Two militiamen who were present at the festival abstained from taking any measures, and hence no attackers were detained. According to the organizers of the festival, their 102 call to the militia was simply ignored.
“We signed an agreement with the militia, but for some reason they didn’t provide proper security,” says Oles Donii. “The head and deputy head of Irpin militia didn’t answer our phone calls. ‘Berkut’ didn’t come at all. However, the next day when we were to conclude the festival, ‘Berkut’ came to make sure we didn’t play an extra song. But they hadn’t come for the fight!
“I don’t have proof that these were disguised militiamen, state security officers, or simply a sport club they hired. We don’t have evidence — we just know that they started beating journalists in Donetsk, a photojournalist was beaten in Lviv, a fight was organized at the festival, that everything connected with the Ukrainian idea is not just criticized but physically eliminated,” Donii explained.
In his blog, the political engineer Oleh Medvedev called this Yanukovych’s policy in action. “I guess there is no comment. But he doesn’t do it alone. Some ‘citizen’s social council’ approves his social policy,” writes Medvedev.
It is noteworthy that Vadym Kolesnichenko, a deputy from the Party of Regions, recently asked the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Valerii Khoroshkovsky to check whether holding the festival “Haidamaky.UA” was legal. He said, “music bands scheduled to perform at the festival are noted for the openly xenophobic and nationalistic character of their songs lyrics.”
Meantime, the leader of the civil movement “For Ukraine” Viacheslav Kyrylenko demands that an investigatory commission on this issue be created at the nearest sitting of the parliament. “We witnessed a situation when political discussion led to political reprisal,” stressed Kyrylenko.
Taras STETSKIV, people’s deputy of Ukraine, participant of the festival:
“Actually, I’m sure no one will be punished. This is how the Party of Regions demonstrates its power. It wants to intimidate people. Why don’t officials comment on this? Obviously because they were involved in it. I think society will respond to it appropriately.
“The festival did take place. The actions of these criminals didn’t intimidate anyone, and they will not. Festivals and activities will persist. The only thing is that in the future we’ll have to be more attentive to security issues, to put such people who attack at night in their place.”
