At the opening of the monument to Yura Shatunov, a thousand fans staged a stampede

Fans of Yuri Shatunov guarded the entrance to the Troekurovskoye cemetery from 8 am.

– At 9 opening, no one will be allowed in earlier, – the guard patiently explained.

A traffic police squad was on duty at the gate. Inside, the territory was patrolled by police officers, the National Guard and cynologists with dogs.

– We still remember how Shatunov was buried for three days. About 20 thousand people came to say goodbye to him. This time, too, everything was foreseen, – one of the police officers explained the strict security measures.

The opening of the monument was scheduled for 10 am. A metal fence was put up around the grave. The passage was allowed for the Shatunov family, friends, the sculptor and journalists. The fans were left behind.

– Svetlana will not make a speech, like children. There will be no interview either, Arkady Kudryashov, the former director of Shatunov, warned.

The solemn event began to the minute. The white cloth was pulled from the monument. On a granite pedestal stood a bronze Shatunov. The widow covered her eyes with her hands. The artist’s son and daughter could hardly hold back their tears.

Then a memorial service took place, and the family of the Tender May soloist left the cemetery.

It was the turn of the fans, who hung in clusters on the fences. By that time, several thousand people had gathered at the cemetery.

– We will let them in in groups, be patient and take a turn, – one of the guards addressed those present.

At this time, a woman in black glasses tried to break through the cordon from the other side.

– I’m Natalya Grozovskaya, a former soloist of “Tender May”, – the singer broke into a cry.

– I hear your name for the first time. Go to the fans, – the guard was relentless.

Natalya sobbed: “Well, how is it, I came from afar on purpose!”

– Can you skip it? She really is a singer, – I turned to the guard.

– Right? Sure?

Grozovskaya missed. And a representative of the Shatunov family attacked me: “Well, what kind of singer is she, what do you say? Kudryashov did not let her through on purpose, because she was slandering Yura’s wife, Svetlana.

The guard frowned in my direction, “Oh, these fans, they are ready to introduce themselves as anyone.”

The woman really turned out to be Grozovskaya. According to media reports, she was once married to Andrei Razin, now lives in America.

“She was indignant here for a long time that many artists were not invited to the event today. And yes, I swore at Kudryashov, ”my colleagues said.

There were more and more fans. The most zealous took their places near the aisle in order to be in the forefront of approaching the grave. They turned out to be a group of people in T-shirts with the image of the soloist of “Tender May” and the inscription: “Shatunov Square to be!”.

“We are an initiative group that is fighting to have a public garden named after Yura appear in Moscow,” one of the women began. – Not far from Trubnaya Square, we found an unnamed square, which we demand to name the artist. Collected 30 thousand signatures from around the world. The lists were sent to the city hall. But they don’t answer us. We also want Yura to be posthumously awarded the title of People’s Artist. According to the law, this title can be given to him only after 10 years. But we ask to make an exception, to amend the law.

A 35-year-old woman stood nearby. She held a doll with Shatunov’s face in her hands: “This is a 3D model of Yuri Vasilyevich’s robot, I made it myself. The robot is with me everywhere. I came here to tell you about him.”

Finally, the head of the security brigade gave the command: “Let 20 people go.”

The first batch of fans, pushing each other with their elbows, rushed to the monument.

– Put the flowers and leave, what to stand? See what a line formed, – the policeman urged the fans. Others also want to enjoy the spectacle.

But where is it. The people didn’t move. Someone took a selfie in front of the grave, someone broadcast live for subscribers on social networks.

– Katya, look how accurately the master depicted our Yurochka, he is as if alive. It’s about to jump off and say: “Hello,” the lady 50 plus squealed.

“Even the wrinkles around his eyes seem to be real, I remember them well,” the friend agreed. He seems to be looking at his audience.

– And smiles at us …

Meanwhile, discontent grew behind the fences. “Quickly leave,” – rushed from all sides.

The guard waved his hand: “Let 40 more people in.”

The crush began.

“If you choke, I won’t let anyone through,” the policeman shouted. – You came to the grave to the idol, but arranged a bazaar.

“Woman, you’ve been standing here for half an hour, stuck, you need to have a conscience,” a pensioner from the second batch of fans attacked a peer from the first.

The guards discussed among themselves how to defuse the situation: “Let’s watch for those stuck at the monument and get them out of here.”

There was a commotion around the grave. Not everyone managed to squeeze through to the monument.

A little aside, people were discussing paraphernalia with the image of Shatunov. The attendees handed in passwords, where to order T-shirts, bags, badges, flags with the image of an idol.

The same woman with the Shatunov robot wandered among the people. She wanted to communicate. When they stopped paying attention to her, she suddenly gave out: “I am a relative of Yuri Vasilyevich. He is my uncle.” And attracted the attention of journalists. True, she refused to share the details of the alleged stellar relationship. And again she started a hurdy-gurdy about a robot.

Most of those gathered looked strange. They seem to be stuck in the 80s and 90s. Even the makeup from that time: eyebrow threads, bright pink lipstick, light green nails.

– Estimate, now they will show us on Channel One, – a lady under 50 with two high tails on her head clapped her hands.

“Look for me on the Internet, everyone filmed me here,” the second fan rejoiced over the phone.

Among the fans appeared a man with an accordion and a flag “Vyatka remembers”. He sang “White Roses”. The police demanded to curtail amateur performances: “What are you doing here, this is a cemetery, not a concert hall.”

Are we having a drink? the plump lady snarled. – Just sing the songs of our beloved. And for some reason you consider us inadequate.

Around the monument, everyone went about their business. One woman was reading a book by Sergei Kuznetsov. Another showed a homemade album in memory of Shatunov. The third told reporters about her collection of badges depicting the soloist of Tender May. A gray-haired man in a blue suit recited a prayer aloud. “Mom, mom, let’s get out of here,” a 10-year-old child whined loudly.

I turned around. Four children dragged a woman from the grave.

– We are strange, of course. We all have Shatunov’s syndrome. A normal person will not understand this,” the woman spoke to me. – My name is Elena, I am a nurse, I am 54 years old, I came by train from Cheboksary. The girls and I created the “Shatunov Group”. Recently, they chipped in on a memorial plate to Yuri, which will be installed in Komertau.

While we were talking, one of the fans tried to hug the monument. The audience hissed: “How can you, the sculpture is already staggering. Police help.”

– Comrades, hurry up, soon it will start to rain, and there is still a queue outside the fence. Come out, let the others pass, – the policeman persuaded the people.

After one o’clock in the afternoon, the flow of phantoms dried up.

– Skip the line, I need to meet my grandson after school, I’m afraid I’ll be late, – a woman with white chrysanthemums fussed behind the fence. – I’ll wait five minutes and go out.

The woman was missed. Near the grave, she attacked the fans: “Stand here in one place, as if rooted to the spot, because of you the rest suffer, who cannot get here in any way.”

I left the cemetery after 13:00. People with bouquets of white roses were walking towards me. Cars from different parts of Russia came to the parking lot. On the windows of one gazelle there was a poster of Shatunov and the slogan: “Tyumen remembers!”