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STUDENTS
+ REFUGEES
Young Adults and
Students
| Parish Center
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Task Force on Racial Attack and Harassment
Safety Tips for Racial Minorities in Moscow
Racial minorities in Moscow face a variety of difficulties: frequent
document checks by the police; verbal harassment; unwelcome stares;
and, most dangerously, physical attacks by skinheads and other racists.
A group of African students has prepared these safety tips for visitors
and residents of Moscow.
Moving about the city safely
| 1.
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Avoid
moving about the city alone. Travel with friends. |
| 2. |
Know your
destination, and walk quickly and directly toward it. |
| 3. |
In buses,
trams and trains sit close to the driver or to older people.
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| 4. |
In the
metro, take the middle wagons. |
| 5. |
Keep a
watchful eye on the people around you. Be wary of large groups
of teenaged boys, especially boys with shaved heads, combat
boots, and black or camouflage clothing. If you see such a group,
move away from them quickly. |
| 6. |
Do not
wear flashy clothing or jewelry. Conceal your mobile phone and
cash. |
| 7. |
Avoid
underground passages at night. |
Places and times to avoid traveling about Moscow
| 1.
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It
is important to avoid traveling four hours before and after
football and hockey matches. Do not take the red or green metro
lines at these times. |
| 2.
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It is
best to travel between 8.00 and 17.00. |
| 3.
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Exercise
caution in all places where youth are likely to gather: stadiums,
parks, cinemas, night clubs, and metro stations. |
| 4.
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Certain
regions of Moscow have the reputation of being particularly
dangerous. They include the following metro stations: Sportivnaya,
Yasenovo, Izmailovskaya, Kuzminki, Perovo, and Kievskaya. |
| 5.
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Public
holidays are also times of heightened danger. Be particularly
cautious on April 21 when skinheads celebrate Adolf Hitler's
birthday. |
Responding to Verbal Harassment
| 1.
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Avoid
getting into conversations with racist individuals or groups.
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| 2.
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Pretend
that you do not understand Russian. |
| 3.
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Move away
from the individual or group. If necessary, run. |
What to do if you have been attacked
| 1.
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If
you are seriously injured, ask a bystander to call an ambulance
("skoraya pomoshch") using the phone number 03. At the hospital
be sure to ask for a document ("spravka") that describes your
injuries and the treatment you have received. This is important
evidence. Ask the doctor to report the incident to the police.
Then go with a friend to a police station to make a formal report.
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| 2. |
If you
can safely wait for treatment, then make a police report first.
If the police arrive, you might go with them in pursuit of the
perpetrators. |
| 3.
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Ask bystanders
to act as witnesses. Tell them to wait for the police and then
report what they saw. |
| 4.
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When making
a police report, make sure to get a receipt of your statement
to the police. Write down the name(s) and badge number(s) of
the officer(s) who take the report. (The police are legally
obliged to give you their badge numbers.) Also write down the
name, address, and phone number of the police station. |
| 5.
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Report
the attack to others.
•Report the attack to the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy
at ph. 143-3562 or mpc@rol.ru.
•If you have an embassy
in Moscow, inform it of the attack.
•If you are a student, inform
your dean of foreign students.
•If you are a refugee registered
with the UNHCR, then call their hotline at 465-6419. |
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