Paul
Goble
Staunton, May 6 – There are many
compelling reasons why the international community should boycott the World Cup
in Russia this summer – Moscow’s doping program and its dishonest handling of
charges against its athletes and officials being the most commonly cited -- but
now the Kremlin has provided another reason for such action even at this late
date.
The pseudo-Cossacks, under the command
of a “retired” FSB lieutenant general, who beat Russians taking part in the “He’s
Not Our Tsar” marches yesterday, were paid for by the Moscow city authorities
and are slated to serve as guards for fans coming to World Cup competitions
this summer (newsru.com/russia/06may2018/kazaki.html).
Consequently, anyone who attends
those sporting events will be “protected” by people who have already shown
their contempt for obeying the law and protecting people rather than beating
them up. No one in his or her right mind
should take that risk, especially as it is likely that these “Cossacks” aren’t
the real thing but rather thugs the authorities make us of.
(There are genuine Cossacks in
Russia, but there are also a large number of marginals who enjoy putting on
uniforms and being used as bully boys in the name of patriotism and for good
pay. Those involved yesterday and who
are supposed to be involved this summer are almost certainly the latter.)
This link between the FSB and hence
the Kremlin and those who beat protesters and may do the same to fans from
abroad they don’t approve of has been uncovered by a Russia news agency (thebell.io/napavshie-na-mitinguyushhih-v-moskve-kazaki-okazalis-svyazany-s-meriej-moskvy/).
This involvement no doubt will serve as
evidence in support of complaints by Russian human rights activists about what
happened yesterday (mbk.media/news/15-chelovek-pozhalovalis-pravozashhitnikam/).
Maksim Shevchenko will likely use it to convene the Presidential Human Rights
Council on this issue (newsru.com/russia/06may2018/spch.html).
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