Moscow on alert after skinhead rampage leaves two dead
Moscow police were ordered on high alert today after Russian skinheads went on a racist rampage in a market, killing two people.
About 300 young people stormed the market last night, attacking dark-skinned vendors from the Caucasus region. One vendor was killed during the raid and another died in hospital. Twenty-two people were injured and police made 25 arrests.
Moscow city prosecutor Mikhail Avdyukov set up a special headquarters to ‘‘investigate the murders and identify those who organised and inspired the criminal action,’’ a spokesman said.
It was unclear what prompted the attack, which occurred at a market outside the Tsaritsino metro station in southern Moscow, near a park that houses the ruins of an imperial palace. Interfax news agency said it was organised by members of the ultranationalist Russian National Unity party.
Some of the attackers chanted slogans supporting Moscow’s Lokomotiv soccer team, which beat Real Madrid in a match in the Russian capital Tuesday night.
The youths were shown on Russian television, dressed in black and many with shaved heads.
Meanwhile, police in the Russian capital were put on high alert to prevent any outbreaks of violence, amid fears that the victims’ relatives may try to retaliate.
