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Putin calls for boosting public order
Source: Agencies |
December 17, 2010, Friday
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VIOLENT rampages outside the Kremlin have highlighted the need to strengthen public order and raise police prestige, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said yesterday.
Putin spoke after a weekend rally of 5,000 racists and hooligans in Moscow left more than 30 people injured and raised doubts about the government's ability to stem a rising tide of xenophobia.
Police on Wednesday, however, prevented a replay of the violence between nationalists and mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in the capital and several other cities, detaining hundreds.
Putin struck out at liberal critics who have criticized his government for sending riot police to disband opposition protests.
"It's necessary to prevent extremism from all flanks," Putin said, during a call-in session broadcast live on state television and radio. "The liberal community must understand the need for maintaining order. The government exists to protect the majority's interests."
He continued the scathing attack, saying that the rallies demonstrated the need to raise the prestige of the nation's police force, which has faced criticism over corruption.
"We mustn't paint them all in black and bring them down," Putin said. "Or otherwise the liberal intellectuals will be the ones who have to shave their thin beards off, put helmets on and go out on the square to fight the radicals."
Moscow police spokesman Viktor Biryukov said some of the 800 people detained in the capital yesterday were released immediately. Others, especially those carrying weapons, were held for investigation.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, now a fierce Kremlin critic, fired the accusation of fomenting social disorder back at the authorities and Putin.
"They don't have a shred of evidence that we are stirring up this trouble," Nemtsov said. "(Vladislav) Surkov (the Kremlin's deputy chief of staff) is personally responsible for flaring up these tensions."
Putin spoke after a weekend rally of 5,000 racists and hooligans in Moscow left more than 30 people injured and raised doubts about the government's ability to stem a rising tide of xenophobia.
Police on Wednesday, however, prevented a replay of the violence between nationalists and mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in the capital and several other cities, detaining hundreds.
Putin struck out at liberal critics who have criticized his government for sending riot police to disband opposition protests.
"It's necessary to prevent extremism from all flanks," Putin said, during a call-in session broadcast live on state television and radio. "The liberal community must understand the need for maintaining order. The government exists to protect the majority's interests."
He continued the scathing attack, saying that the rallies demonstrated the need to raise the prestige of the nation's police force, which has faced criticism over corruption.
"We mustn't paint them all in black and bring them down," Putin said. "Or otherwise the liberal intellectuals will be the ones who have to shave their thin beards off, put helmets on and go out on the square to fight the radicals."
Moscow police spokesman Viktor Biryukov said some of the 800 people detained in the capital yesterday were released immediately. Others, especially those carrying weapons, were held for investigation.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, now a fierce Kremlin critic, fired the accusation of fomenting social disorder back at the authorities and Putin.
"They don't have a shred of evidence that we are stirring up this trouble," Nemtsov said. "(Vladislav) Surkov (the Kremlin's deputy chief of staff) is personally responsible for flaring up these tensions."
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