Not only songs and dances: can protests in the Republic of Bashkortostan spread throughout Russia

Some regions of the aggressor country were swept by mass protests. The reason was the imprisonment of activist Fail Alsinov, who is allegedly accused of extremism. The rallies are called the largest in Russia on February 24, 2022.

At first, the protests took place in a fairly peaceful manner. However, Bashkir politician Artur Zaripov told 24 Channel, that now the mood is more radical, because force was used against the protesters.

How the protest movement is unfolding

The protest from Bashkiria moved to Ufa. On the morning of January 19, people gathered there demanding the release of Fail Alsinov. Even earlier, protesters began to express dissatisfaction with the actions of the head of the Republic of Bashkortostan and advocated his resignation.

It didn’t end with dancing and singing. They began to use force against the people, there were mass clashes, paddy wagons arrived and all the detainees were placed in them. There are even shots of people lying under buses so that the protesters would not be taken away, said Artur Zaripov.

Clashes continue, and calls are being made for men not to participate in the war in Ukraine, but to protect their people. After all, Russian special forces use brute force against protesters. Videos of new arrests appear every minute, but the official media show a different picture – in it people are dancing and conducting round dances.

It’s really not like that. “The protesters have entered an active phase,” the Bashkir politician emphasized.

What protests can lead to

Against the background of unrest, the idea of ​​dividing Russia is increasingly being heard. In addition, activists call on other regions of the country to join the protests, express their opinions and help Bashkortostan in difficult times.

Now the first positive glimmers are appearing, because the grievances have been accumulating for years. Personally, I was faced with the fact that I could not speak my native language, work at work and speak Bakshir,” added Arthur Zaripov.

According to him, today Bashkir has ceased be a business language, the destruction of literature continues. Although it was the Russians who once came to this region, they are now trying to dictate their terms. The people of Bashkiria understand this idea more and more clearly. Moreover, political scientists say that the Russian authorities are afraid of the unification of the Turkic peoples.

So the problem is relevant today. We can’t even imagine what a protest in our republic can develop into,” Zaripov emphasized.

There are mass protests in Russia: what is known

• Large rallies began on January 15 in the city of Baymak in the Republic of Bashkortostan. People came out in defense of a local activist who was accused of “inciting ethnic hatred.” Force was almost immediately used against the protesters, in particular, riot police and the National Guard beat people with batons. In response, the protesters only had snow, which they threw at the security forces.
• The protesters call on their fellow countrymen fighting in Ukraine to return home. They convince that there is no point in fighting for the interests of one person, while their own people are being abused. They also report problems with communication in the region; the authorities are probably blocking the Internet.
• The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Moscow Region notes that the protests in Bashkiria are only the beginning of large unrest caused by people’s discontent. Andrei Yusov emphasized that events in the region have already taken the form of civil protest. It is also important that people support a local activist who makes anti-war calls.