U. Prof. Rudra Sil attacked in Russia

Ethnic tension in Russia hit close to home on June 9th when University Professor Rudra Sil was allegedly attacked due to racial violence.

Sil, who was in Moscow doing research for a project, reported that he was physically beaten by some Russians when riots broke out after a World Cup soccer match.

Around 8,000 people turned out to watch the match between Russia and Japan on a huge screen in Manezh Square, which is right by the Kremlin.

Throughout the game, Sil said that the crowd appeared feisty and that feeling was only elevated by the fact that many of the fans were drinking throughout the entire soccer game.

"[I] decided against watching the game with [the crowd] though I am a big soccer fan. Something about all those open beer bottles in the hands of tense teenagers put me off," Sil said. "Moscow's policy of allowing open bottle drinking is a huge problem."

"Some people were turning cars over and smashing store windows," he added.

Although Sil avoided the crowd at the beginning of the match, he ran right into the extremely rowdy and upset fans when he got off at a metro station located about two blocks away from Manezh Square.

"Shattered glass and loud screams could be heard as hundreds of young Muscovites, most drunk, were descending into the metro, some... muttering more pointed phrases about Russia being for Russians," Sil said.

And before Sil could escape from the metro station, Russians started attacking him as well as other ethnic minorities in sight -- in particular, Asians, Sil said.

"It all happened too quickly to know exactly where the blows came from and in what sequence, but in a matter of seconds, there was blood dripping everywhere," Sil remembered. "I had been struck in my head, chest and foot."

However, Sil said his experience with the Russian police made this experience even more traumatic.

Even though Sil was badly bleeding from the gash on his head, he received no medical attention, but instead was asked multiple questions by the Russian officer and was required to fill out several forms. Sil studied the Russian language for five years in the early 1990's.

And even after and completing all the specified tasks, Sil had to remain in the police cell because the situation in the station was still very unsafe.

"We were told the situation was too dangerous to go out now -- one officer made a gesture with his finger across his throat to suggest what would happen to us above ground," Sil said.

Finally, after being transferred to another police office, Sil was taken to a distant hospital -- six hours later.

And after the long drive, the doctor only gave Sil a bandage for his forehead that was still gushing blood.

Sil did not leave Moscow earlier than planned, but rather went to Manezh Square the next day to see the remnants of the riot -- and he was awed at what he saw.

"It was simply amazing how quickly people and resources were mobilized to repair the damage... there was so little evidence of the craziness that had transpired barely twelve hours before," Sil said.

However, Sil said that the overall organization does not seem remotely appropriate for the kind of global city Putin would like Moscow to be.

And this riot has not really changed any policies in Moscow.

"So far, unfortunately, the only change that the events seem to have triggered is a larger police presence at public events," Sil reflected."The administration itself seems to have tried to sweep the ugliness under the rug."

"Here was a chance for Putin himself to tackle the problem head on," Sil added. "Instead... Putin's own comments on World Cup Soccer focused on the shameful performance of the Russian soccer team rather than the shameful display of some of his fellow citizens just a stone's throw from his office."

However, Sil is slowly recovering -- he is now back in Philadelphia -- and thinks time will heal most of his experience.

"Hopefully, in time, this experience will fade into the background enough for me to continue study[ing] a country that has interested me for over 15 years," Sil said.

Yet, Sil will have a permanent physical reminder of the incident, since the gash on his head will most likely leave a scar.

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