Sir David Attenborough’s “The Life of Birds” is being screened at Kumu today, Wednesday (May 2), at 18:00.
The European Union is under attack, because Russia is attacking Estonia. The Bronze Soldier and the vandalism in Tallinn was Estonian domestic matter, but Russia’s coordinated actions against Estonia are a European Union problem. Thus, European Union-Russia relations have entered a very complicated situation.
Click here to read the full statement by the Foreign Minister. Other European Union countries have expressed support for Estonia, but them’s just words. I’m curious to see how the EU will respond officially, since everyone’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.
At noon today (just a few moments ago), the honking began. Not sure how long it’s supposed to last, but the Russians are honking while they drive 5 kmph around town. That’s the kind of demonstration that I can understand and respect. It seems, though, that not everyone knows what’s going on, since the tram drivers seem to be joining in.
So, there were two nights of violence, but the police seem to have everything under control now. It’s possible that things will be rowdy again tomorrow night (May Day) and on May 9th (which is Victory Day in Russia — a national holiday marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II).
I forgot I snapped a few photos of the monument two weeks ago:
The “unrest” has continued all day, with police detaining around 800 people and charging 125 people. The ambulances have been kept busy and large groups are again concentrated in the areas surrounding the former location of the monument. So, the violence continues. During the day, some protesters were holding a sign (written in English) that stated, “CCCP 4ever. Fuck Estonia. Fuck Ansip.” It seems to me that a number of those protesters weren’t even born before the CCCP fell apart.
There’s almost no news coverage in the U.S. of what happened last night here in Tallinn. According to the Baltic News Service, “at least 44 rioters and 13 police sustained injuries during the unrest. At least 300 arrests were made.” Also, one Russian was stabbed to death by another Russian. The monument has been fully removed (they had intended to wait until May 9th). I don’t believe they have yet removed the Red Army bodies from the grave, though.
My husband spent the night at his office.
Click here to read the International Herald Tribune’s coverage.
Or here for the Baltic Times story.
Lots of videos on YouTube.
26/4/07, 11:00 p.m.: I just got a report from my husband (yes, he’s working at 11pm) about the not-so-peaceful protest taking place on Parnu Mnt and in the vicinity around the Soviet monument. There are thousands of protesters (according to my husband) and every few minutes they start chanting “Russia” over and over. His office is overlooking Parnu Mnt. and he said people just smashed their way into the liqueur store and looted the store. The rioters are smashing car and tram windows (one driver just knocked two people to the ground with his car to get through the street). They just smashed the window of an office (how wonderfully pointless) and broke into a grocery store. He can smell tear gas, but can’t see any police. Ambulances have been streaming in and out of the hospital near my apartment building, and the crowd is letting the ambulances through. I’ve been watching the police helicopter circling Tallinn for several hours. The grocery store has been looted, so there’s toilet paper and glass bottles flying. Looters are comparing their ill-gotten gains.
My husband is contemplating his exit strategy.
11:30: There is no exit strategy. The rioting has only elevated, with the mob breaking into all of the buildings in the area of my husband’s office building. He’s safe on an upper floor of a high-security building, but because of the violence and looting (and, as of a few minutes ago, more tear gas), he’s decided to spend the night on the office sofa. His memories of this night will last far longer than the crick in his neck.
27/4/07, 12:00 a.m.: The police are firing more tear gas plus rubber bullets. A building across Parnu Mnt. has a small fire going. A car intentionally slammed into another. The police are focusing on putting out the fire. My husband says he can see Russians trying to prevent more violence, and there’s a small group of around 20 Estonians with bats and sticks trying to protect Tatari Street. The Estonians are saying (in Russian), “Be peaceful. Please go.” An Estonian woman was just attacked by a Russian man. The group of Estonians are moving in to protect her. Some Russians are trying to reason with other Russians, with little success.
1:00: The rioters flipped a car, so the police have moved in to secure the area more firmly. Tatari, the street behind my husband’s building, is completely secured by the police. My husband’s thinking about coming home now. The cab companies are so far refusing to send anyone, so he may be stuck at the office after all.
2:00: He’s decided to stay and sleep at the office. It’s probably okay to walk home now, but better safe than sorry. A few photos here and then of the mess left behind here.
