A-Infos (en) Russia, Anarchist student struggle in Petrozhavodsk and resulting repression

In beginning of new semester in September, anarchists in Petrozhavodsk (a city 
in North-West of Russian federation, capital of Karelian Republic) launched a 
campaign against official student body in Petrozhavodsk State University. This 
because official student body is a pseudo-union which is not doing anything for 
students, and as a matter of fact is totally integrated with "Nashi", a 
pro-Putin youth organization funded by Kremlin, famous for physically attacking 
oppositional youth organizations in major Russian cities (you may read more 
about Nashi from http://www.avtonom.org/index.php?nid=1268) ---- Petrozhavodsk 
anarchists organized a massive sticker campaign with overwritten student body 
logo and texts "Against NASHIst student body - it is representing only interests 
of the authorities, not those of students!", "For creation of a free alternative 
union!", "do not pay to poseurs!" and "they booze with money of students".

 Leaflets demasking official student body were also distributed, covering
corruption of the student body, which organizes nothing for students except
stupid discos once a year, and events called by governing United Russia
party by their tool Nashi, such as those encouraging students to vote in
regional and federal elections. Students were encouraged not to enroll to
official student body, but instead to come to open founding meeting "Free
Alternative Student Union" (ASSP), which took place 28th of September.

 Short term goals of ASSP are struggle against privatization of higher
education, which is first of all manifested in increasing division between
"priorized" and other universities, decreasing number of places allocated
for free enrollment, increasing prices of enrollment. ASSP is also again
common state examination in which corruption is rife, and against abrogation
of laws on freedom from the impressments and conscriptions.

Founding meeting of ASSP was just a moderate success, but boycott against
enrollment to official student body was a huge success - from unofficial
sources Petrozhavodsk anarchists have heard, that this year amount of
enrollment to student body among new students decreased 70%! This has
definitely alarmed establishment in the Petrozhavodsk State University!

 8th of October official student body decided to organize "birthday
celebration for Putin". Official student body was optimistically claiming
that 300-400 people would show up to "congratulate president", but
eventually they could mobilize only 30 people.  Students who do not need
Putin showed up in numbers of 12 people, they had placates "why Vova shaved
his moustache", which is referring to a certain similarity between outlooks
of Putin and Adolf Hitler.

 They started to shout slogans "Hail Putin", "More dictatorship!", "Happy
birthday to our tsar and god" and others. This was a non-violent action,
participators of the counter-action stood peacefully in a chain. However
when security of the university attacked action, students fought back
against them.

 Eventually everyone who had joined the action managed to escape, although 6
police cars was driving all around Petrozhavodsk whole night in search of
them.

But this action already gained wide attention, and following investigation
by FSB (x-KGB) managed to single out few students, whom they claimed to have
participated to action. One student was kidnapped from his institute, taken
to court and given 1000 ruble (30 euro) fine for participation to an illegal
action, he was not give any chance to have a lawyer. Others were invited by
police to "informal discussions", a journalist who wanted to cover Free
Alternative Student Union was informed that such a topic is "undesirable".

Nashi also formed a squad, which in cooperation with police is tearing down
all announcements around the city of a meeting of ASSP against
commercialization of education, announced by ASSP for 28th of October.
Students also spotted announcements for such an event for 27th of October,
which is an apparent attempt of officials to mislead students and
population.

24th of October there was another court against a participator of the
action. This gained wide public interest, court was attended by journalists,
FSB, United Russia-party, security of Petrozhavodsk State University,
official student body and ASSP. Charge was participation to illegal picket,
although according to law you do not need a permission to picket indoors
(illegal trespassing is another law).

 Defense was making point, that accused just joined event of the official
student body, and that security of the university is not officially licensed
and thus has no any right to use physical force. At one point, things looked
good from side of the defense, but eventually judge was shyly mumbling a
sentence of 1000 ruble fine for "hooliganism and cursing", as if he was
itself shamed of fulfilling orders he had received from above.

It is little doubt, that repressions against dissidents inside university
will continue, but struggle against commercialization of education and
lackeys of the university establishment will continue!

Anarchists of Petrozhavodsk

http://www.ptz-anarchist.narod.ru

Board of Free Alternative Student Union of Petrozhavodsk:

http://www.altercom.forum24.ru

(for a version with pictures, check
http://www.avtonom.org/index.php?nid=1269)
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