Why no mass protests in Russia? Sociologist Grigory Yudin demonstrated against the invasion

[BeckyDem]

Full title: Sociologist Grigory Yudin demonstrated against the invasion and ended up in the hospital. He says we’re living in a new era.

1:56 am, March 2, 2022
Source: Meduza

On February 24, Russia began a war with Ukraine. On that same day, protests broke out all over Russia. It is difficult to call them mass demonstrations in any real sense, although ultimately almost 6,500 people were arrested (in Russia, street gatherings of this type are practically forbidden, with the authorities persecuting even individuals who picket alone). Sociologist Grigory Yudin, too, was arrested and ended up hospitalized following an anti-war protest in Moscow. Meduza special correspondent Svetlana Reiter discussed with Yudin why it doesn’t make sense to call protests in Russia “small” — and why he thinks scholars have to take a principled stand.

When we were first arranging this interview, you objected to my statement that anti-war protests were small in number: “Not so small.” What made you say that?

We don’t live in Berlin, where participation in a protest gets you lots of pats on the back. You can end up with a concussion, or spend the night in jail, or be required to remove your underwear [for a cavity search], or [possibly] have a felony case opened against you. Given the current situation, we can’t exclude the possibility that protests will eventually be punishable by 20-year prison sentences or the death penalty. So, yeah, in my view, people are coming out in force.

At a recent protest, you were beaten to the point of sustaining a concussion. Can you give us some more details about that? Honestly, I don’t really want to talk about it — ultimately, it’s insignificant against the background of the major disaster we’re confronting. But, yes, the evening ended with a concussion for me.

https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/03/02/why-no-mass-protests-in-russia


( To say that life in Russia is a challenge is an understatement. )

[EYESORE 9001]

1. No such thing as 'good trouble' in Russia

Step out of line and go to gulag. If you’re lucky.

[Chainfire]

2. The Russian people need to put their destiny back in their own hands.

It is their responsibility to determine how they are to be governed. There are 144 million Russians but only one Putin. The Russians can either live with Putin or they can risk life for freedom. Sometimes, you just have to throw the King's tea into the harbor.

[BeckyDem]

3. We did that with Trump because our judiciary did not go along with the big lie.

They don't have anything like that, the brutality and imprisonment are only the tip of the iceberg as to what their government is capable of.

[Chainfire]

4. The government can only enforce its will by the power of armed troops.

Armed troops are the Russian people. People can choose their government, nobody says it comes without a cost.