Moscow activists rally against Russian airstrikes in Syria

A group of Russian anti-war activists have protested against the Kremlin's actions in Syria and corruption in Russia. The effects of Syria intervention would only get worse, protesters claim.

Some 300 people attended the Saturday rally, organizers told the Russian news agency Interfax, while the security forces estimated some 150 demonstrators. Most of the rally participants were over 50 years old and wore pacifist symbols.
The anti-war event was organized by Russian Solidarnost movement, known for its opposition to President Vladimir Putin.
[Edit. --DJW001]

The security forces detained one woman ahead of the event for holding up a sign with a slogan "Putin, you murderer, stop shaming Russia."

Moscow activists rally against Russian airstrikes in Syria

Some Russians are beginning to take action. They realize that it is not Russia's place to be getting involved in other people's wars. It is significant that most of the protesters were over 50 years old: they are old enough to remember how coming to the aid of the "legitimate government" in Afghanistan turned in to a decade long nightmare. The returning veterans suffered from PTSD, alcoholism and heroin addiction, this last being new in Russia. Younger people are excited because this has been such a "clean war" so far. It is still in the "shock and awe" phase and the young are excited by the power of the technology. They are not thinking ahead to the terrorist attacks against the Russians in Syria nor the potential attacks on Russian soil.

It is also extremely significant that the only arrest was of a woman carrying a placard condemning Putin. Apparently, you can protest government policies, but Fearless Leader is sacrosanct.

a reply to: DJW001

I'm sure some of that concern stems from a possible terrorist backlash occurring in their country resulting from their military involvement. Something the U.S. has incurred because of our military involvement.

a reply to: DJW001

You do realize Russia had to interfere in order to protect their base in Syria and to help against the american, sorry western terrorists, sorry i meant ISIS, and to stop the new migration crisis which would lead over 2 million people to Europe.

a reply to: DJW001

300!you don't say? pffft, clearly western plants, probably just a gathering of American crisis actors. Everyone loves Russia, didn't you know?

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: DJW001

I'm sure some of that concern stems from a possible terrorist backlash occurring in their country resulting from their military involvement. Something the U.S. has incurred because of our military involvement.

Exactly. Remember how enthusiastic some people were when the United States started its invasion of Iraq? That enthusiasm faded quickly and the protesters were proven to be right. What is unusual in this case is that protests generally aren't welcome in Russia. There will probably by an enthusiastic "Hooray Russia" rally organized to counter it. (Hm. I wonder whatever happened to the Red Pioneers?)

originally posted by: Nikola014
a reply to: DJW001

You do realize Russia had to interfere in order to protect their base in Syria and to help against the american, sorry western terrorists, sorry i meant ISIS, and to stop the new migration crisis which would lead over 2 million people to Europe.

Was their base in Syria threatened? No? And how is bombing Syria flat helping the migration crisis? Seems to me it is making it worse.

originally posted by: TechniXcality
a reply to: DJW001

300!you don't say? pffft, clearly western plants, probably just a gathering of American crisis actors. Everyone loves Russia, didn't you know?

What color theme do you suppose they'll give this revolution?

a reply to: DJW001

I have difficulties in agreeing here with the "activists". The sooner we get rid of ISIS & other loonies in Syria, the better for everyone. And Russians are currently doing some real work - which have to admit the "allies" have not done - apart from making a minor revolt into a catastrophic civil war. If Russians & co can finish Syria and Iraq in 6 months - everybody wins. US saves trillions, UK billions, and French ... uhm well ... the French will save a buck too for sure.

a reply to: Nikola014

Yes, i totally realized all that (see above post) you forgot a few things. Firstly, Putin rides without a shirt bareback on horses, secondly, Russian women are always more attractive than none Russian women (Milla Jovovich) thirdly, communism is great it just has a bad rap, the failures of America far outweigh the failures of all of the world combined. Most importantly,Santa clause comes from the north pole and Russians are laying claim to the north pole, and any other territory it can.

I can hear and see it now......blame Putin and his illegal war in Syria for all the world's ills.Bush will be free of some of the blame

originally posted by: deckdel
a reply to: DJW001

I have difficulties in agreeing here with the "activists". The sooner we get rid of ISIS & other loonies in Syria, the better for everyone. And Russians are currently doing some real work - which have to admit the "allies" have not done - apart from making a minor revolt into a catastrophic civil war. If Russians & co can finish Syria and Iraq in 6 months - everybody wins. US saves trillions, UK billions, and French ... uhm well ... the French will save a buck too for sure.

The problem being that they are not addressing "ISIS." If the Syrian army does succeed in securing a bit of real estate in the west, they will be exposing their flank to "ISIS." The (real) terrorists are not interested in holding cities, they are only interested in taking advantage of chaos. The Russians are making the chaos worse.

originally posted by: Gothmog
I can hear and see it now......blame Putin and his illegal war in Syria for all the world's ills.Bush will be free of some of the blame

The assumption on your part being that America is to blame for all the world's ills.

a reply to: DJW001

The security forces detained one woman ahead of the event for holding up a sign with a slogan "Putin, you murderer, stop shaming Russia."

That is one brave woman. I hope she's ok. More power to them, I hope they give the younger ones the courage to come forwards and protest this war - it's never the answer.

a reply to: DJW001

What color theme do you suppose they'll give this revolution?

The anti-war event was organized by Russian Solidarnost movement

Players behind the Russian color revolution - Solidarnost movement

Nemtsov, one of the most prominent of the Putin opposition today is also co-chairman of Solidarnost, a name curiously enough imitated from the Cold War days when the CIA financed the Polish Solidarnosc workers’ opposition of Lech Walesa.

a reply to: DJW001

12 years ago a much much larger protest happened worldwide.

ORoughly 10 million to 15 million people (estimates vary widely) assembled and marched in more than 600 cities: as many as 3 million flooded the streets of Rome; more than a million massed in London and Barcelona; an estimated 200,000 rallied in San Francisco and New York City. From Auckland to Vancouver — and everywhere in between — tens of thousands came out, joining their voices in one simple, global message: no to the Iraq war.

world.time.com...


Those protests went unnoticed so I doubt 0.000001 of the population of Russia making a protest will make a difference. Your article quoted 300 but the original article from afp quoted 200 people. This is not indicative of people in Russia backlashing against the war. These people are pacifists they probably protested 12 years ago too against the Iraq too.

www.afp.com...

a reply to: sosobad

Those protests went unnoticed so I doubt 0.0001 of the population of Russia making a protest will make a difference. Your article quoted 300 but the original article from afp quoted 200 people. This is not indicative of people in Russia backlashing against the war. These people are pacifists they probably protested 12 years ago too against the iraq war.

Every movement starts small. So far there have been no Russian casualties in Syria, and the ones in Ukraine have been covered up. Also, given that people who criticize the government too loudly sometimes get killed, 200 people being brave enough to protest is impressive.

a reply to: AttitudeProblem

I'm sure the name was chosen to spook people who remember how Solidarity destroyed Poland's Communist regime.

a reply to: DJW001

200 people out of a population of 143 million (give or take) is not a big protest. Look at the protests that swept the US 12 years ago and even the ones in the last year regarding the police brutality, it didn't change anything. These protests are commendable in their own right because there has been far too much bloodshed in world as a whole in the last few decades/centuries but they are in no way indicative of the Russian people's view on their involvement in Syria. Wishful thinking maybe on your behalf, anything to paint Russia in a bad light. When there is 200000 people maybe I'll say yes but as for this now it's nothing. And again these people are pacifists they are probably just as equally against the US dropping weapons to "rebels".

a reply to: DJW001

Some Russians are beginning to take action. They realize that it is not Russia's place to be getting involved in other people's wars.

so You are actually saying that what US(and allies) is doing... giving weapons and Toyotas to ISIS and FSA is good and they have all right to be involved this way in other people's countries?

i didn't say wars, like You did, but countries. cos those wars are created by US and allies xx

originally posted by: DJW001

originally posted by: Gothmog
I can hear and see it now......blame Putin and his illegal war in Syria for all the world's ills.Bush will be free of some of the blame

The assumption on your part being that America is to blame for all the world's ills.

I am an American (USofA) and in a lot of the world's ills , yes....we are.