On the evening of November 7, police carried out mass detentions in central Moscow near the Kitai-Gorod metro station, where young “nonconformists” have been gathering for the second year in a row. That evening, police vans pulled up to Gorka Park, where teenagers usually meet. According to various estimates, between 150 and 200 people were detained (though there are reports of 300 as well). Detainees said there was no water in the police vans and they weren’t allowed to use the bathroom. It’s known that one young man was beaten after he lit up an e-cigarette. Detainees were also issued draft notices and offered contracts with Russia’s Defense Ministry. Meduza spoke with three teenagers who were at Kitai-Gorod that evening.

All names of the interviewees have been changed. Warning: this text contains profanity.

‘There was no water, and they wouldn’t let us use the bathroom’

Alexei, 17

I’ve been hanging out at Kitai-Gorod since around the start of summer. There have always been police there, but yesterday they appeared out of nowhere: cars pulled up, and officers spilled out of them.

We obviously tried to leave, but all the exits were blocked. When I went up to one of them, an officer shoved me, shouting, “Get the fuck out of here!”

The actual detention was a bit calmer: they searched me and put me in a police van. From what I could tell, there were a lot of people detained, definitely more than 100. There were about 30 to 40 police officers, and I counted around 15 vans.

We spent maybe 15 minutes in the van on the way to the police department for the Basmanny district. I heard that other detainees were taken to the police department for the Tagansky district. There was no water, and they really didn’t let us use the bathroom.

The atmosphere at the station was relatively calm. We were told we needed to call our parents so they could come pick us up. We were in contact with the outside world — everyone had phones. There was no humiliation or abuse from the police officers. They didn’t draw up any paperwork, and we were released around 10 p.m., once our parents arrived.

A friend of mine who’s an adult was offered a contract to sign. They also tried to hand him a draft notice, but he managed to get the fuck out of the cop shop because they hadn’t taken his passport.

I have mixed feelings about it now. On one hand, actions like this could be seen as a way of ensuring safety in the city, since anything really could have happened. But I’m left with a bad feeling, a dislike for this kind of police action.

‘Those who tried to run were forcibly dragged into the police vans’

Angelina, 17

I go to Kitai-Gorod almost every weekend. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a really cool place. There are a lot of kids there you can get to know in literally five minutes, and they’re all nice.

Yesterday my friend and I were sober, talking about our own stuff, and not bothering anyone. Before the raid, I saw police walking around silently photographing people who were drinking [alcohol] or smoking.

I tried to climb over [the fence], but I had a panic attack. People were helping each other [get away], but [the police] just wouldn’t let them out. They just dragged them back by their hoods or by the scruff of the neck. From what I could tell, there were about 300 to 400 people there at once.

Many of those detained were sober. The news reported that only nonconformists were being taken in, but that’s not true: about 30% of those detained, including me, were dressed normally.

I passed out twice: the first time by the fence, the second time while I was walking to the van. I wasn’t searched. It seemed to me that they only searched the nonconformists. Those who tried to run were forcibly dragged into the police vans. It’s true that we weren’t allowed to use the bathroom there.

We were taken to the police department for the Tagansky district and split into two groups: those under 18 and those over 18. We could hear parents shouting, “Let the children go!” Meanwhile, police were writing us up on administrative charges for failing to obey a lawful order from an officer.

Many people were struggling to breathe from fear, but there was no medical help at all. The “esteemed” police officers laughed at those having panic attacks. I heard comments from them like, “What a disgrace!” I was desperately hungry and wanted to sleep.

I don’t think raids like this will fundamentally change anything. The kids will probably just find another place to hang out, and there will be less news about them.

‘I’m worried about my safety, so I don’t plan on going there anymore’

Alisa, 16

I’ve only recently started hanging out at Kitai-Gorod: yesterday was actually the first time I went there for a longer stretch. Honestly, I don’t feel great there, like when some little kid is puking next to me. It’s a really unpleasant sight.

Yesterday there was a massive roundup of teenagers. The first raid started at 8 p.m., and the next one came after 9 p.m. Riot police showed up first, detaining everyone in a row and loading them into vans, without any reason, without any process. They just tackled people, searched them, and loaded them into the vehicles.

A riot police officer stopped me too and asked me to take off my glasses. I tried to walk away, but he started grabbing my arms. They searched me, shined a flashlight in my eyes, and then let me go. I asked what they even wanted to detain us for, and in response I got: “I have no fucking clue what they want from you.”

I think there were about 200 to 250 people detained. I saw around four police cars and about eight police vans. I wasn’t in a van myself, but I heard that they wouldn’t let people use the bathroom in there, and there was no water. I also heard that 18-year-olds were being offered contracts to sign.

I don’t want to go hang out there anymore because it’s not safe right now. They’re detaining people for absolutely nothing. I’m worried about my safety, so I don’t plan on going there anymore.