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Polish skinheads attack Russian diplomats' children in Warsaw
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Posted by: Khashyar

"Polish skinheads attack Russian diplomats' children in Warsaw"

08/02/2005 13:08

The teenagers were going back home from a movie theatre when a bus stopped nearby

We are already accustomed to the frequent news about Russian skinheads, now and then attacking dark-skinned students and people coming from Asia and Caucasus region. However, the skinheads may even attack Muscovites, whose nationality or appearance they do not like. According to the recent sociological surveys the actions of Russian fascists are to a certain degree approved by 30-40 percent of the population, with or without reservations. There must be some hope that the recent events in Poland will make at least some of these 40 percent change their minds.

A group of skinheads attacked Russian schoolchildren aged 16 to 17 at approximately 9 p.m. local time in Warsaw two days ago. The incident took place very late at night in one of the city's parks. The teenagers were going back home from a movie theatre when a bus stopped nearby. Fifteen skinheads got off the bus quickly. The leader aged 25-27 especially stood out.

The riff-raff started beating the schoolchildren without explanations. They stroked them down to the ground and started kicking them. Having checked the schoolchildren's documents to identify their nationality, Russians, the skinheads went on doing their business with vengeance. The ruffians took the schoolchildren's money and mobile phones. After that they got back to the bus in an orderly manner and went away.

According to the numerous mass-media reports and news agencies, there were witnesses watching the beating of the Russians, whose statement then made it possible to reconstruct the events quickly. But none of them stuck up for the children.

The schoolchildren, of whom there were three boys from Russia and one from Kazakhstan, received brain concussion and are at the hospital at the moment. Investigators hope that they will be able to answer some questions in the nearest future.

Meanwhile, the Warsaw police have already detained two people suspected of attacking the teenagers. The details of the arrest as well as the identity of the suspects are still to be reported.

Yesterday morning the consul of the Russian embassy in Warsaw, Vladimir Efremov, was interviewed by the "Echo of Moscow" radio station in connection with the incident. He claimed that such incidents were not rare, "not only in regard to the children of our employees but to foreign citizens as well, including Russians."

He admitted that such incidents in regard to Russians have taken place before but were not capturing headlines. What makes Polish skinheads so active? Why do we draw so many parallels, comparing the Poles with their Russian "colleagues?"

One of the versions says that Polish skinheads first appeared among punks, the latter then becoming their major rivals in "ritual" fights. At first the activity of the young Nazis was coming down to provoking troubles at the rock gigs and football matches. Afterwards they moved into the street - they would beat everybody who differed in color of their skin, hair or clothes.

About two years ago the youth branch of the Nazi movement "Self Defense" ("Samoobrona") was formed. By different estimates it incorporates many thousands of young people, thoroughly selected. According to those who left "Self Defense", the idols of the movement were Stalin, Hitler, Ceausescu, and Franco. The "Self Defense" leader, Andrzej Lepper, might well have pretensions of a sort of a Polish "Fuhrer."

The results of the sociological research do not look promising. According to the Institute of Sociology of the Warsaw University, every fourth person of African, Asian or Arab origin has suffered from aggression during his visit to Poland. As far as the birthday of Fuhrer is concerned, the Polish police are made especially alert on this day.

Igor Parfinenko

(from pravda.ru)

Posted by: Pawel_PL.USA

Much of this stuff, as most of what the Russian media write about Poland, is lies and crap! The Russians are great masters at provoking Polish anger - they do it better than anybody else.

PS. In Poland shaved heads and/or crew cuts are very popular among young guys ... but that doesn't mean they're all skinheads.

Posted by: Leprechaun

Polish diplomat in Moscow assaulted.
A Polish diplomat has been assaulted in Russia
Those kids were children of Russian diplomats were they not?

Tit for Tat?

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi guys...

I just did an internet search for this incident, and "Polskie Radio" also confirms that the children of Russian diplomats in Warsaw were attacked.

http://www.radio.com.pl/polonia/art...p?tId=25942&j=2

It also says that afterwards, a Polish embassy employee was attacked in Moscow.

So, if "Polskie Radio" is reporting the incident, I don't think it's made up.

Khashyar

Posted by: Pawel_PL.USA

Guys, I'm not talking about the incident itself - I'm talking about the rest of the article and the commentaries it contains. I'm not surprised about the attacks in Warsaw since the Russians have been trying to provoke anti-Russian anger and fury in Poland for a long time. They try to provoke Poland and the Baltic states to compensate for their inferiority complex due to the fact that they lost the "Cold War" to the USA.

Posted by: Leprechaun

We understand ya P,

just as an aside question if anyone knows

Is the term "Cold War" Just more western media lies and crap?
What did the Russians call the Cold war?

Posted by: Pawel_PL.USA

"The battle for socialism and world peace against the capitalist imperialists" ?

Posted by: Jutman

Hi

In the Danish news, it was told that the official Poland apologize and that they hoped to capture the guilty persons. This was to my understanding what Russia wanted.

Posted by: Pawel_PL.USA

Yes, Jutman, but WHEN WILL RUSSIA APOLOGIZE TO POLAND? For Katyn, for example ? When one tallies everything up and looks at the historical balance, it should be Russia apologizing to Poland.

Posted by: Jutman

Hi

Its nothing to do with history. Its a current situation, they respond to. There is a significant difference.

In the diplomatic life, both Russia and Poland handle it correctly. Russia annonced its concern and Poland answer back promtly with a postiv and correctly answer.

b-t-w Poland in Danish = POLEN

Posted by: Pawel_PL.USA

Polen, in German as well.

I know I might be overreacting and it's diplomatic protocol etc., but the Russians have provoked us so much that every such incident ignites Polish anger.

Posted by: Michel.S

The kind of guy that beats on teenagers 15 against 3 or 4 are not concerned about Katyn.
It's just plain wrong.

Posted by: Pawel_PL.USA

It's easier for you to say that in France.

Posted by: Khashyar

I know, Pawel, that Russians and the Soviet committed cruel autrocities against the Poles...

When would you say that it is time to acknowledge the horrible things that happened, forgive, and then try to create a new relationship with Russia?

That's not to say that we forget the wrongs and injustices that were done, but at a certain point, isn't it healthy to try and forge something positive for the future?

For example, I believe that at one time, that Poles occupied Belarus.

At some point in history, almost every people was an agressor, and an oppressed.

We should acknowledge the harms done, but when do we try to heal the suffering within our culture (that was oppressed), and try to exist in a way that feels peaceful to us?

Khashyar

Posted by: Jutman

Hi

You are rigth, but it takes time. More than 1� decade. However both Polish and Russian leaders are working toward it, and it just a matter of time.
There will of course be a small part, there never wants to forget, even a half century after.
Nationalism exist and sometimes blossom. Scotland and Basquer land is example of that, where it has survived a union for centuries.The tricky part is to keep it within democratic and human framework.

Posted by: Khashyar

Yes, Brian... It does take time to fully forgive and heal.

Polish pain and anger is understandable, just as the African-American pain and anger is understandable.

We need to take one step at a time towards healing that pain of recent history...

By the way, when I spent a few weeks in Poland with Lena in 2002, the Polish people were very nice and hospitable to Lena and I, and even were kind to Lena as she spoke Russian with them trying to accomplish our daily and necessary tasks

Khashyar

Posted by: Pawel_PL.USA

I have always been saying that Poland and Russia need to establish some sort of a modus vivendi with each other - but Russia has more to apologize for than Poland.

Quote:

For example, I believe that at one time, that Poles occupied Belarus.

Poland did not "occupy" Belarus. The way we got there was to form a political union with Lithuania. The Lithuanians were actually welcomed in what is modern-day Belarus because Lithuanian rule meant liberation from Tatar rule (and taxes !) and the Lithuanians let the local Ruthenes live and believe as they wished ... even more so, the Lithuanians were adopting the culture and orthodox faith from the Belarussians and made Belarussian into the official language of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and it would continue to be so until 1791.

This was the state of affairs the Poles encountered as they formed a union with Lithuania in 1386 ... in order to protect Lithuania from our common enemy - the German knights of the Teutonic Order - not to occupy Belarus. Before 1791 not one part of modern-day Belarus was part of the Polish Crown ... it was all part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Ruthenized Lithuanian and local "Belorussian" magnates ran Belarus.

So therefore, for 4 centuries (1386 - 1791) if anyone occupied anybody it was acutally "White Ruthenes" running Lithuania and not vice versa.

What is modern-day western Belarus was part of Poland from 1920 - 1939 because bolshevik aggression made any sort of an autonomous Belarus tied to Poland impossible. But at least in pre-war Poland there were no mass grave sites (such as Kuropaty) as in the autonomous Soviet Republic of Belarus.