Hundreds of young people, including teenagers and minors, were detained in central Moscow on Saturday. Around 300 people were taken to police stations. According to Meduza, while police described the detentions as “preventive measures,” some of the teenagers told the media they had been detained with excessive force, IPN reports.
Raids took place near Gorky Park and in several areas of central Moscow known for venues popular with young people. According to eyewitnesses, ten police vehicles arrived at the scene, and everyone present was loaded into them and taken to police stations, where they were held for several hours.
Moreover, parents were not allowed into police stations to see their children. At least 17 of those detained received administrative penalties for drinking alcohol in public places. Some were served with summonses to report to the military recruitment office, while others were forced to sign contracts for military service.
The November 7 raid was the largest of its kind, but not the first. Since the start of the year, six such large-scale operations have targeted young people in Moscow.
