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We should have seen Dagestan’s antisemitic riots coming [1]

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Date: 2023-11

Here, it’s important to note that Dagestani authorities have banned all rallies that are not initiated by them, including those in support of Palestine since 7 October, which are dispersed by local police when they take place. This means that Dagestanis sympathetic to the Palestinian cause have not been able to express their support.

Even after the unrest, many Dagestanis have told me they had been expecting the republic’s authorities as well as its main mufti to express support for Palestine.

No measures were taken to stop the 29 October gathering. The republic’s authorities regularly restrict internet access in the region when they deem there is a threat of unrest, but on this occasion they did not, despite Morning Dagestan being a popular channel. Similarly, no action was taken by the police after the antisemitic protests began at the airport, or when mobs started searching hotels and private houses.

This raises questions over whether this failure by Dagestan’s authorities was negligence, a failure to take antisemitism seriously, an interest in identifying members of protest groups, or an effort to allow rioters to let off steam on a subject that has little to do with local politics.

The Dagestani authorities have so far limited themselves to blocking Morning Dagestan and condemning the behaviour of protesters at the airport. Their inaction at every stage has had catastrophic consequences. The angry crowd has brought shame to Dagestan and disrepute to the Palestinian cause, which the mobs’ actions wrongly equated to antisemitism.

The shame is compounded by the fact that so many appear to have forgotten about hospitality – a key value of Dagestani society, where you should help anyone who seeks help regardless of personal beliefs and resentment.

Since then, an investigation on a charge of “mass unrest” has been opened, but it’s not yet clear whether it will lead to mere fines or prison sentences for the accused. So far, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson has claimed the unrest was planned from abroad.

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[1] Url: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/russia-flight-tel-aviv-antisemitic-riots-dagestan-israel-palestine-north-caucasus/

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