A Russian airport in the Muslim-majority region of Dagestan was stormed by protestors. Beginning as a pro-Palestinian demonstration, it quickly devolved into a hunt for Jews.
Dagestan neighbors Chechnya, known for its ruthless leader Kadyrov. Both areas have had fought relationships with Putin’s Russia, at times jeopardizing his foreign relations. Fox News reports:
A group of protestors in southwestern Russia flooded an airport while chanting anti-Israeli remarks on Sunday night, reportedly searching for passengers from a flight that departed from Tel Aviv.
The airport, which is in the city of Makhachkala in the Republic of Dagestan, closed after rioters began flooding the runway, according to Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia. Rosaviatsia reported that all aircraft headed towards Makhachkala were diverted.
Russia is home to a significant Jewish population, and Israel has many Jews of Russian origin. This comes at a time of increased tension over the war in Ukraine and Gaza. The Guardian continues:
The riots appear to have been inspired by a number of posts on the social media platform Telegram, where followers were told that a flight from Tel Aviv would be arriving that evening with refugees from Israel.
Some of the signs held by the rioters read, “We are against Jewish refugees”. Police stood by as hundreds of protesters surged into the airport’s main terminal, entering restricted areas and demanding that customs officials direct them toward the arriving passengers.
Russia has a history of antisemitic attacks, and the anti-Israel movement is gaining steam throughout the world.
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