MeMyselfAndI
Jul 29th 2010, 03:48 PM
Khimki battle turns violent
by Vladimir Kozlov at 29/07/2010 20:54
LOCALRSS
Rally in defense of Khimki forest
© RIA Novosti. Vladimir Fedorenko
Khimki battle turns violent
by Vladimir Kozlov at 29/07/2010 20:54
The battle to stop a highway being built through Khimki Forest turned violent on Wednesday as a crowd of youths wearing bandanas and ski masks attacked the Moscow suburb’s town hall with Molotov cocktails.
Police responded quickly by detaining 16 environmental activists camped out in the forest who claimed to be unconnected to the attack.
On Wednesday evening, between 100 and 500 youths – according to various reports – threw empty bottles and Molotov cocktails at the building, breaking windows, RIA Novosti reported. The youths shouted “No to cutting down Khimki Forest” and “No to destroying Russian forests”, and daubed graffiti on the building.
There were no police on the site and none of the attackers, who quickly took a commuter train from the nearby station, were detained.
Eco-activists arrested
At around the same time, activists protecting the forest – who vehemently denied any connection to the attack – returned to the woodland to protest the resumption of cutting down trees, Gazeta.ru reported. Police soon detained 16 activists, including Yevgenia Chirikova, head of the movement to protect Khimki Forest, she told the radio station Svoboda.
According to Chirikova, the activists were just sitting on tree stumps and talking to reporters when OMON arrived and began detaining people.
As of Thursday morning, several people still remained in police custody.
Meanwhile, Khimki residents are divided on whether the construction of a Moscow-St. Petersburg toll road through the woodland should be stopped.
“The trees shouldn’t be cut down”, said Anna, a young mother walking with a baby stroller in Khimki on Wednesday afternoon. “The construction should be stopped. It’s especially important for children that trees stay there.”
“I’m not sure,” said an elderly woman sitting on a bench next to an entrance to her apartment building. “On the one hand, it’s probably not very good that trees are being cut down. But I think since they are doing it, they must have all the necessary permits.”
“Even though I’m sorry for the woodland, the road is vital there,” a reader commented on Gazeta.ru’s web forum. “They should have protested against the construction of [huge shopping centres] and car showrooms.”
“Roads are no less useful than [forests],” added another forum user. “Highways help to decrease pollution resulting from cars tied in traffic jams. Khimki Forest is beautiful but the highway has to be built, otherwise we’ll suffocate.” He added that he would support an alternative site for the highway alongside the tracks of the Oktyabrskaya railway.
“Unfortunately, that wouldn’t work as an alternative,” another user responded. “In that case, the highway would pass through Khimki rather than the woods, in a small area… sandwiched between the Moscow Ring Road, Leningradskoye Shosse, the new highway and an industrial zone. I live in that area, by the way.”
http://www.mn.ru/local/20100729/187959801.html
I don't know... I understand the ecologists frustration. But, we need new highways and roads. The congestion and traffic jams in and around Moscow right now are unimaginable. The city will choke to death if there is no additional infrastructure built.
by Vladimir Kozlov at 29/07/2010 20:54
LOCALRSS
Rally in defense of Khimki forest
© RIA Novosti. Vladimir Fedorenko
Khimki battle turns violent
by Vladimir Kozlov at 29/07/2010 20:54
The battle to stop a highway being built through Khimki Forest turned violent on Wednesday as a crowd of youths wearing bandanas and ski masks attacked the Moscow suburb’s town hall with Molotov cocktails.
Police responded quickly by detaining 16 environmental activists camped out in the forest who claimed to be unconnected to the attack.
On Wednesday evening, between 100 and 500 youths – according to various reports – threw empty bottles and Molotov cocktails at the building, breaking windows, RIA Novosti reported. The youths shouted “No to cutting down Khimki Forest” and “No to destroying Russian forests”, and daubed graffiti on the building.
There were no police on the site and none of the attackers, who quickly took a commuter train from the nearby station, were detained.
Eco-activists arrested
At around the same time, activists protecting the forest – who vehemently denied any connection to the attack – returned to the woodland to protest the resumption of cutting down trees, Gazeta.ru reported. Police soon detained 16 activists, including Yevgenia Chirikova, head of the movement to protect Khimki Forest, she told the radio station Svoboda.
According to Chirikova, the activists were just sitting on tree stumps and talking to reporters when OMON arrived and began detaining people.
As of Thursday morning, several people still remained in police custody.
Meanwhile, Khimki residents are divided on whether the construction of a Moscow-St. Petersburg toll road through the woodland should be stopped.
“The trees shouldn’t be cut down”, said Anna, a young mother walking with a baby stroller in Khimki on Wednesday afternoon. “The construction should be stopped. It’s especially important for children that trees stay there.”
“I’m not sure,” said an elderly woman sitting on a bench next to an entrance to her apartment building. “On the one hand, it’s probably not very good that trees are being cut down. But I think since they are doing it, they must have all the necessary permits.”
“Even though I’m sorry for the woodland, the road is vital there,” a reader commented on Gazeta.ru’s web forum. “They should have protested against the construction of [huge shopping centres] and car showrooms.”
“Roads are no less useful than [forests],” added another forum user. “Highways help to decrease pollution resulting from cars tied in traffic jams. Khimki Forest is beautiful but the highway has to be built, otherwise we’ll suffocate.” He added that he would support an alternative site for the highway alongside the tracks of the Oktyabrskaya railway.
“Unfortunately, that wouldn’t work as an alternative,” another user responded. “In that case, the highway would pass through Khimki rather than the woods, in a small area… sandwiched between the Moscow Ring Road, Leningradskoye Shosse, the new highway and an industrial zone. I live in that area, by the way.”
http://www.mn.ru/local/20100729/187959801.html
I don't know... I understand the ecologists frustration. But, we need new highways and roads. The congestion and traffic jams in and around Moscow right now are unimaginable. The city will choke to death if there is no additional infrastructure built.