The chilling images of hundreds of people forcing entry to an airport terminal in the capital of Dagestan, this Muslim republic in the Russian Caucasus, in pursuit of Israeli passengers made the rounds on Russian networks on Sunday evening and are widely covered in the press of all tendencies this Monday. Images that those in power seek to counter by tending to show a recovery in control and avoid any questions about the action of the State.
2 mins
from our correspondent in Moscow,
The line had been set on Sunday evening, barely the results of the first interventions known. More than 150 active participants, identified disturbances, sixty arrests, while many observers pointed out that Telegram channels in Dagestan had been launching calls to hatred for several days. No reaction. Local authorities placed emphasis on external interference.
This is unsurprisingly what was developed at midday on Monday by the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov. “ It is now well known and obvious that the events at Makhachkala airport were largely the result of external interference, including an external influence operation, and it is clear that in the context terrible images that show the horrors in the Gaza Strip – the deaths of children, elderly doctors – in this context, it is very easy for ill-intentioned people to abuse the situation, to provoke, and to excite people. The president has always paid great attention to this topic. Last week he held a meeting with representatives of religious denominations, during which this topic was discussed “.
Read alsoRussia: the airport of the capital of Dagestan stormed by a crowd hostile to Israel
During this meeting which was held five days ago, the Chief Rabbi of Russia declared: “ Thank God, for many years in Russia we have not experienced state anti-Semitism or even street anti-Semitism. » And this Monday, the leader of the Russian Orthodox, Patriarch Kirill, considered that the assault yesterday was “ an attempt to sow discord » between Muslims and Jews in Russia.
The Kremlin also announced, and it is rare for it to be so precise about the presidential schedule, that Vladimir Putin will hold a special meeting on the subject with the Prime Minister starting at 7 p.m. Moscow time. and the security apparatus. His opening speech will be public.