The whole world is laughing at us – Kommersant

The head of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, commented on footage circulating online in which one of the participants in anti-Semitic protests at the Makhachkala airport looks into the turbine of an airplane carrying Israelis. According to him, because of such “crooks”, “the whole world is laughing at Dagestan.”

“Look for Jews on the fuselage or under the wing of the aircraft, in the turbine? This is funny for you now. The first time I saw it, I also had a smile on my face, and then I became scared. He looks in there and sees whether there is a Jew there or not. Well, the whole world is laughing at us today thanks to these crooks,” said Mr. Melikov at the conference “For interethnic peace and harmony in the Republic of Dagestan” (quote from “RIA News”).

Earlier today, November 2, Sergei Melikov said that he reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin about plans to bring to justice, first of all, those “who organized and provoked” anti-Semitic protests at the airport. Participants in the riots, the head of Dagestan called “animal-like cowards”, “scum” and “scoundrels”.

On the evening of October 29, protesters broke into the airport’s international terminal building and blocked it, and then ran out onto the runway. People who came out with Palestinian flags gathered because Israeli citizens had arrived in Dagestan from Tel Aviv.

The Department of the Investigative Committee for Dagestan opened a criminal case for mass riots (Article 212 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Later, the case was transferred to the central office of the Investigative Committee. According to the latest data, 83 people were detained for participation in the riots. The Dagestan Ministry of Health reported that 20 people were injured as a result of the protest.

Read more about the situation in the Kommersant publication. “The center took over the riots”.

Lusine Balasyan