IZHEVSK, Russia. Dec 15 (Interfax) - About 40 young ethnic Russian nationalists held a demonstration in the center of Izhevsk, capital of the ethnic republic of Udmurtia in central Russia, slamming the ethnic policy of the Russian government.
The demonstrators, mainly young men some of whom were wearing face masks, were crying out slogans in support of ethnic Russians and held nationalistic banners.
"The ethnic policy of this state has gone bankrupt," said Vasily Kryukov, organizer of the demonstration, which had been permitted by the authorities. He cited the recent murder in Moscow of soccer fan Yegor Sviridov, who was shot dead in a clash between ethnic Russians and members of North Caucasus ethnic groups.
The Udmurtian Interior Ministry said the declared purpose of the demonstration had been to protest "the sway of ethnic crime, double standards in the judiciary and law enforcement practices, and the Russophobia of the Russian press."