VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT LATEST VLADIVOSTOK DEMONSTRATION

UNCLAS VLADIVOSTOK 000139 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ECON RS SUBJECT: VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT LATEST VLADIVOSTOK DEMONSTRATION ¶1. Vladivostok citizens' third protest against proposed tariff increases on imported used cars turned violent and resulted in large-scale detentions. Though past demonstrations were peaceful and ended without incident, it was clear from the beginning of this December 21 rally that the Kremlin would be taking a firmer stand and present a greatly increased security stance. Local militia was augmented by 180 officers from the `Zubr' special police detachment sent in from Moscow. ¶2. The presence of the more aggressive out-of-town forces lead to severe beatings of several protesters and innocent bystanders and the detention of about 200 of the over 1,500 people who were present on the city's central square. Even local FSB plainclothes officers were reportedly beaten by the indiscriminate Moscow Zubr forces. Many of those detained were journalists, including a Japanese crew from NHK Broadcasting, whose video equipment was damaged during a melee with security forces. Local courts worked into the night after the demonstration, issuing dozens of fines and 6-day jail terms for six of those arrested. Some journalists referred to the crackdown in Vladivostok as "Bloody Sunday," a reference to the violent suppression of striking factory workers in Moscow by Czarist security forces in 1905. ¶3. Some 500 people had gathered at the main city square on the previous day as well, displaying banners with slogans such as "Putin, fight the oligarchs, not the people!" and playing Soviet-era war and revolutionary songs. Police quickly moved in to disband that protest, briefly detaining about 20 participants on charges of taking part in an unsanctioned rally. Peaceful but smaller protests took place in over 40 Russian cities, including Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk in the Russian Far East, and Moscow and St.Petersburg in Western Russia. Unusually Strong Government Reaction -------------- ¶4. The latest events showed that the Kremlin does not plan to negotiate on the issue and will crack down on Far Easterners' attempts, in Putin's words, "to destabilize the country." The use of Special Forces from outside the area indicated not only that Moscow would no longer tolerate resistance on the issue, but also that it found that local militia forces were too sympathetic to demonstrators at past rallies. In addition, locaQauthorities received directives to warn university students and employees of local companies in advance not to take part in future protests or risk dismissal. Law enforcement officials declared the whole weekend official working days for all personnel, who were tasked with preventing people from forming crowds. Consulate contacts indicated that during the lead up to the demonstration, FSB officers scrutinized popular local internet chat rooms and monitored mobile phone and SMS messages of organizers. Those identified as the most active organizers received personal visits from FSB officers, who attempted to dissuade them from participating. Kremlin Makes Minor Concessions -------------- ¶5. Just two days before the most recent demonstration, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held a special panel meeting of the National Council at a Kamaz truck factory in Naberezhnye Chelny devoted to finding ways to support national automobile production. At the session, he said that "it is inadmissible for Russians to spend money on imported cars when Russian domestic manufacturers are cutting back production." As a concession, Putin offered to provide free rail shipping for Russian-built cars to the Far East for one year and to subsidize interest on loans used to purchase Russian-made cars costing no more than 350,000 Rubles (USD 12,500) during 2009. The offers were ridiculed and dismissed as half-hearted by most Far Easterners. ¶6. The issue of increased tariffs on imported cars has taken on a much larger scope to Far Easterners than simply being a question of how much their preferred automobiles will cost. Residents here consider the question a test of the democratic process and free market reforms in the New Russia. Many here assert that the issue highlights the Kremlin's preference taking care of the interests of oligarchs over looking after the needs of the general population. Journalists made special note that the crackdown was the first time federal forces have attacked ethnic Russians since the fall of the Soviet Union. In a note of local dissatisfaction with Moscow, a group of locals beat up three off-duty OMON officers outside a downtown cafi at night after the demonstration. MILLER