Russian anti-nuclear protesters gassed

Russian anti-nuclear protesters gassed

MOSCOW — On April 23, to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, activists with the radical environment movement the Rainbow Keepers held a protest near the Ministry of Atomic Energy.

The protesters demanded an end to the development of nuclear energy and highlighted the problem of radioactive waste disposal. A banner in front of the entrance to the ministry read, "Profit For You, Waste For Us".

Ministry officials tried to prevent the protesters from performing street theatre on the building's steps, and police arrested 14 protesters.

Eight of those arrested were crammed into a small police van, where they began to rock from side to side. The police then sprayed a lot of tear gas into the van and shut the windows.

Seeking fresh air, the victims broke the windscreen and cut through the canvas sides of the van while those outside shouted at the police to stop the violence.

After arriving at the police station, the protesters were gassed again before being released after signing an undertaking to return to the station the next morning.

From GLW issue 316