Every 10th Person in Russia was Ready to Participate in Nationalist Riots

One out of every 5 in Russia (18%) justified the actions of nationalists who began riots on Dec. 11 in Moscow’s Manege (Manezh) Square. According to the results of a sociological survey, 11% were ready to participate in similar actions, with this figure being higher in Moscow and St. Petersburg (37%).

The opinion poll was conducted on Dec. 18–19 in 138 Russian settlements. Sixty-five percent of respondents didn’t support protesters, but only 9% believed that ethnic conflict and intolerance was at the heart of the riots, while 22% assessed the protests as being protests against lawlessness, neglect on the part of the government, and murder. Thirty-one percent chose words such as “banditry,” “unrest” and “chaos” to describe the events.

Russian Public Opinion Research Center (OAO “VCIOM”) Director General Valery Fyodorov said survey results suggest the existence of an explosive class of youth in large cities. Socialization of members of this group is a mere formality, they lack ideals and don’t have a clear strategy for growth and development.

“These people did not believe in modernization; in it, they did not find what is most important for themselves,” he said.