Anti-Russian hate in Europe is making chefs and school children out to be enemies

[iemanja]

LONDON — Russian chef Alexei Zimin is donating part of his London restaurant’s revenue to support Red Cross work with Ukrainian refugees. He has been singing songs by a Russian dissident poet on Instagram, posting messages such as: “Stop the war. Withdraw troops. Bring our soldiers home.” He knows that in speaking out this way, he may never be able to return to Russia, where he has been credited with leading a gastronomic revolution and owns two more restaurants.

And yet angry messages are filling his restaurant’s voice-mail inbox. “Russians are killers,” one declared. “You’re Putin’s Russians,” another accused.

Zimin, 50, is among those who have been hit by a sudden and rapidly rising tide of anti-Russian sentiment in Europe. While governments have moved to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin and sanction oligarchs, while societies have been calling for cultural figures — from hockey stars to opera singers — to denounce the war, Russian expats who have never had sympathy for Putin and who are horrified by what’s happening in Ukraine say they are facing a wave of generalized hostility.

“Across Europe, people who have no involvement with the war are being targeted and removed from positions,” said Aleksandra Lewicki, a sociologist at the University of Sussex. “There’s a sense of a clear enemy, it’s Russians, from all walks of life, who are being targeted by racist hate crimes and derogatory comments.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/07/antirussian-hate-putin-europe/

The article goes on to say that in the Czech Republic, where may remembers their time under Soviet occupation, children have been targeted. A teacher posted online that he would refuse to teach Russian students, though he later deleted his post.

This is a good reminder that Russian individuals are not Putin and that they aren't responsible for the war. Of course, if you see one wearing a Z, that's another story.

[AlexSFCA]

1. anti war pro-Ukraine Russians are key to this battle, they should not be villified

they may be our only chance to stop this war.

[Deuxcents]

2. I agree

[sakabatou]

6. Agreed.

[WarGamer]

3. How can I do a standing ovation for a post?

[SCantiGOP]

4. Excellent post

[Abolishinist]

5. Not content to confine this to Europe, the U.S. is stepping up with

it's own army of dimwits. Article in our hometown newspaper the other day about a Russian restaurant that has been on the receiving end of threats and 1-star reviews.

With the conflict intensifying in Ukraine, a Russian restaurant in downtown San Diego says it's been receiving threats.

The owner of Pushkin Russian Restaurant says people have also been leaving 1-star reviews online saying the restaurant supports the invasion.

The owner - who is Armenian - says that's not true and half his workers are Ukrainian.

"It bothers me mostly because it's the other way around," restaurant owner Ike Gazaryan said. "I've donated money to the Ukrainian cause. I've given money to my employees to send to their parents in Ukraine."

[iemanja]

9. Americans will let no one outdo them in xenophobia.

[blue sky at night]

7. I have a friend who is Russian...

I am worried about him for this very reason. He emigrated here seeking political asylum before the fall of the USSR as he is Jewish. His whole family got out then a few years later he helped his girlfriend get out thankfully. They are married and doing well.

[agingdem]

8. the downside of 24/7 cable news and social media

sadly, Putin's war and Ukraine's resistance is a media event...viewers (witnesses) worldwide captivated by the chaos, death, destruction, people running for their lives...a David (Ukraine) and Goliath (Putin) scenario played out in realtime...and the ripple effect?...Russians are bad and should be shunned, punished for the war they did not start and do not support...

[Dorian Gray]

12. This is the dark side of the info

here. Many of the Russians who are here in the USA are people who left because of persecution. Jews in Russia were famously treated horrendously. Brighton Beach in Brooklyn is filled with Russians. I can't imagine going out there and attacking people. THey're here. They obviously aren't a part of the Russian war on Ukraine.

[JI7]

10. People are so ignorant. Russians that live overseas are also more likely to have been anti Putin

than non russians .

Many of them warned about Trump and Putin pushing him but our own media and others didn't care.

[Dorian Gray]

11. Oof

I hate to see this. This is truly Putin's war. Putin's misinformation.

Russian People, especially those who have emigrated from Russia years ago, are not responsible for this.

[FreepFryer]

13. Such is the way of war. Eternal affection for my Russian friends, all of whom oppose it. (Nt)

[iemanja]

14. Kicking because a reminder is needed.