Nationalist march cancelled in Moscow

Moscow authorities have annulled their decision to sanction a nationalist march in Moscow planned for May 1. Alexei Mayorov, the head of the Department for Regional Security, said that the reason for the cancellation is the arrest of the march organizer, Dmitry Demushkin. According to Mayorov, Demushkin was listed as the only formal organizer of the event, and thus the march cannot take place without him.

“The event cannot take place if the organizer is not present for any reason. There are no other organizers apart from Demushkin,” said Mayorov.

Initially, Moscow city officials allowed a Russian nationalist organization to hold a march on May 1 in the center of Moscow. The organizer, Dmitry Demushkin, obtained a permit for 3,000 demonstrators.

On April 27 Demushkin was arrested for a period of 8 days for hooliganism. He was detained at a Moscow club on April 20. 40 other people armed with knives and tasers were also detained.

Sources speaking to the news agency Interfax reported that the crowd had gathered at the club on April 20 to celebrate the birthday of Adolph Hitler. Demushkin denies these claims. And says they had gathered to discuss preparations for a knife fighting competition.