Russians protest against ban on adoptions by Americans culminated on January 13 into the biggest public demonstration of the last years, so called “March Against Scoundrels” in Moscow.
Official supporters of the new law made everything possible to stop or minimize the protesters activity and prevent the “March”.
One practically unknown blogger Rustem Agadamov was singled out of the protesters. Agadamov’s ex–wife clamed that, many years ago and while living in Norway, her husband had an affair with 13 year old girl. No proof of the affair was presented, but for several days Agadamov was a main subject of the Russian official media.
The pro-Kremlin movement Young Guard of United Russia announced on its website that the marchers “want to stand in line with the pedophile Adagamov.” “Why is the law against the adoptions by Americans a bone in the throat for the Adagamov’s confederates” asks the chairman Maxim Rudnev of the coordinating council of Young Guard. “Maybe because this law significantly reduced the chances to take our beautiful children out to the country where pedophiles easily avoid responsibility?”
Rudnev’s statement only reinforces the feeling that the situation with Rustem Adagamov’s accusation of pedophilia is just a part of the campaign to discredit the opposition march. The rally was nicknamed “Pedophiles March” by supporters of the ban against adoptions.
The government also made a lot of announcements that it desires to resolve the problem of thousands of Russian orphans. Ironically the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarchate proposed the first initiative: it volunteered to give away a part of its cemetery for burying orphans.
Many famous actors, writers and other well-known public figures used YouTube to encouraged Russians to join the “March Against Scoundrels.” A video message of the very popular actress Lea Akhedzhakova was watched by 145,000 people.
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Akhedzhakova said: “People, I do not know how we survived a cascade of repressive laws that our illegitimate Duma was lately producing with the speed with which rabbits breed. This series culminated with issuing of this absolutely cannibalistic orphan law. Our Patriarchate supplemented the law by providing for these orphans a cemetery. Now those who are going to die, they will be buried immediately – there is the place for them!… I think, we should not tolerate these terrible things – otherwise we are slaves, who have no excuse.”
The weather forecast for January 13 in Moscow was minus14 Celsius (7 Fahrenheit). The chief sanitary doctor of Russia Gennady Onishchenko officially advised the opposition not to hold the rally because of the cold weather and the risk of influenza.
Nevertheless thousands of people joined the “March Against Scoundrels”. Many participants took along small children. According to the police nine thousand people participated; participants’ and organizers’ estimations are from 40 to 50 thousand.
The photos of the demonstration are very impressive. Here are some of them:
“Municipal Deputies are against anti–orphans law”
“Give back hope to children!”
On the poster Putin is shown as a monster from the popular Russian fairy tale,
saying: “Bring me your kids, I’ll eat them for dinner!”
Word “Shame!” is written across the portraits of the members of State Duma.
“We are for the dissolution of State Duma!”
After the demonstration a newspaper Novaia Gazeta issued a “Petition for dissolution of State Duma”. By now 125,000 people have signed the petition.
