Kasparov assaulted in Moscow
16.04.2005
– Garry Kasparov was attacked after a meeting with youth activists in Moscow. He was approached by an autograph seeking participant. The young man circled Kasparov and delivered a sharp blow to the head with the chessboard. Russian news agencies place the blame on the pro-Putin organisations Nashi. We spoke to Kasparov
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The Russian news agency Interfax
news agency quotes Kasparov's advisor Marina Litvinovich, who described the
events as follows: Garry Kasparov, co-chair of the Fair Elections 2008 party,
was subjected to an attack on Friday night. After a meeting with youth activists
in Moscow he was approached by one of the participants with a chessboard. The
young man asked the 13th chess world champion for an autograph, but then suddenly
went behind Kasparov and delivered a strong blow to Kasparov's head, yelling
obscenities as he did os. The attacker was taken out by the people present
according to Litvinovich. Kasparov suffered an acute haematoma (Russian gematoma,
hemorrhage), but declined to seek immediate medical treatment.
Litvinovich added that Kasparov was meeting with the activists of youth movement
in order to discuss tactics and strategy of creating a united democratic front.
-
Friday, April 15, 22:32h (Moscow time): NEWSru.com is
reporting the incident, the first media outlet to do so in Russia. In essence
they confirm what we have reported, and place the blame for the incident
on a pro-Putin youth movement called "Walking Together" (Nashi),
founded by Vasilii Yakemenko. The goal of this new "anti-fascist"
movement is to put an end to the "anti-Fatherland union of oligarchs,
anti-Semites, Nazis, and liberals." [See: Walking
with Putin]. Such incidents are becoming
more common in Russia today. Yakemenko has declared war on the "unnatural
union of liberals and fascists, occidentophiles and ultras-nationalist,
international funds and terrorists that exist today. They are united by
only one thing – hatred for Putin. In this situation we will work
for the support of Putin and consider those our enemies who do not share
his political views". [Full
NEWSru report in Russian].
-
Saturday, April 16, 11:00h (Moscow time): Kasparov's
family have confirmed to us that the injury was not serious and that Garry
in fact was at the moment attending a meeting. But of course everyone is
terrified. Kasparov now has a security detail allocated to him.
-
Kommersant.com has reported on Kasparov's recent visit
to St. Petersburg to lauch the local chapter of his party there. He and
State Duma’s deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov officially announced that they
would create their own party after all attempts to set up a united democratic
party based on the Committee-2008 had come to a standstill.
Kasparov said his objective is to get 40 percent in the next State Duma,
and to attract all political forces in order to do so:“From the radically
right to the radically left, there is a political morass. Our chance to
win is to take in everyone." The new party needs a 50,000-member minimum
to be registered. [Full
Kommersant report]
-
Chris Major of Mountain View, USA sent us a link to what he calls "by
far the best Kasparov interview I've read. It entitled 'Kasparov's secret:
great enemies' and appeared in the Australian
Financial Review/Harvard Business Review – whod'a thunk?
The interviewer was female, maybe that made Garry let loose?"
- Another reader named Dave sent us a link to a page describing the symptoms
and effects of hematoma.
We just hope and assume that in Garry's case it is not subdural.
Saturday, April 16, 14:30h (Moscow time): We spoke to a somewhat
grave and subdued Kasparov on the phone, and he confirmed that our reports
so far were essentially accurate. We asked him exactly what transpired –
was it thugs from the Yakemenko group?
Kasparov: There was no one group that instigated this.
There were a number of groups of youth activists who were gathered at the
meeting.
Why were you there?
Kasparov: They were gathered to meet me. There was a dialogue
between us, I was telling them about my plans, we discussed the current political
situation – a normal political meeting. Maybe I was agitating them
a little.
Then what happened?
Kasparov: It was quite surprising and shocking. It happened
so fast that nobody could intervene. I signed the chessboard for a "fan"
and then turned away to talk to another person. He was telling me about his
town, and I was looking at a local paper he showed me. Anyway, I had turned
my head and this guy simply attacked me.
Didn't you have security?
Kasparov: Yes, there was security, but you know what it
is like when you are signing autographs. Everybody crowds around, the security
people step back.
The attacker was yelling obscenities, we hear...
Kasparov: Actually his behavior was a clear indication
that this was planned. It was a provocation. He was shouting: "Call
the police, beat me up, I don't care..." He was obviously counting on
two reactions: either we call the police and have him arrested, or we attack
him. But in fact we did nothing.
So what happened to him?
Kasparov: Nothing. We got his name, since he was registered
for the meeting, but we decided to do nothing. We let him go, at least for
the time being.
Now you have arranged special security?
Kasparov: Yes, in the future it will have to be different.
But it is difficult to run a political campaign and at the same time avoid
physical contact. It is young people, they want to talk to me, tell me things,
get my autograph.
And the wound, it is not so serious?
Kasparov: It's very unpleasant, it hurts, but I'm not going
to stop.
What are your immediate plans? Do you have more meetings lined up?
Kasparov: There are a few meetings here in Moscow, and
then in a week I am heading for the countryside...
A holiday...?
Kasparov: No, to the countryside – rural Russia,
for public events.
I understand, like to the Mid-West...
Kasparov: Yeah, exactly, but here it is the "Mid-East",
it is all east of Moscow.
Well just be careful, will you.
Kasparov: Yes, obviously. Okay, I will have security, but
[hums thoughfully] it is not going to be so easy.
Frederic Friedel
 Limonov
denies his party's involvement
Saturday, 16 April, 18:35h (Moscow time): The Russian news
agency Novosti reports that the leader of the National Bolshevik political
party (NBP) Eduard Limonov had denied alligations that his organisation may
have been behind Friday's attack on Garry Kasparov. This was the implication
in an interview with Ivan Mostovich, press secretary of the Nashi youth movement,
which was broadcast by the Ekho Moskvy radio station on Saturday. "I do
not regard Kasparov as a major political figure, but that notwithstanding,
it is wrong to assail anyone," said Limonov.
Garry Kasparov was assailed by a hoodlum during his meeting with activists
of youth organizations on Friday evening. "It is very much in the NBP
style," Mostovich said. "Hitting Kasparov on the head with a chess-board
and dashing mineral water bottles off the presidium table during our constituent
conference a day earlier are links of the same chain of hooliganism and thuggery.Such
methods of settling accounts are very much in style pursued by the fascist
Limonov and his hirelings," he said. Mostovich was referring to an incident
on the previous day when a girl rushed to the presidium table immediately after
the Russian national anthem and brushed aside everything that was there. The
security guards promptly caught the trouble-maker and led her out of the conference
room. It was later disclosed that the offender was a NBP activist.
Full
Novosti article
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