Here they are: the people the country’s corrupt officials fear most. Schoolchildren from Bryansk, and yesterday we found that out.
Who would have thought that one of the most inspiring things I’d hear in a long time would be a conversation between Bryansk schoolchildren and their principal.
It was straight out of those books about Pioneer heroes (members of the Soviet communist youth movement) and fascist police collaborators.
Maxim Losev, a schoolboy living in Bryansk Region, reposted on his VK page the group for the Bryansk rally “He Is Not Dimon to You” on March 26.
After that, the police came to his school and took him straight out of class.
Maxim—I just spoke with him on the phone—was told to delete the group and not go to the rally. The police admitted they couldn’t force him, but they “strongly recommended” it.
But the most interesting part came later. The principal, Kira Petrovna Gribanovskaya, came into the classroom and started scolding Maxim’s classmates, who, as it turned out, shared his position and—horror of horrors—wanted answers to questions about corruption:
You should definitely listen to it. And here is the full transcript.
It instantly reminded me of my Soviet school. Brazen lies, hypocrisy, cowardice, and at the same time sheer insolence in every word.
And amazing schoolchildren who call white white, black black, and ask simple questions.
It’s a pity they didn’t answer her like this: we haven’t lived under anyone else, because you, Kira Petrovna, have spent your whole life falsifying election tallies.
All in all, you listen to this and realize: Russia really can have a normal future if these are the kinds of kids it has.
The conversation now has 700,000 views on VK. And several hundred thousand views on YouTube.
The reaction in groups made up mostly of schoolchildren is interesting too. Here’s MDK:
Kids may be kids, but they feel injustice very sharply.
And that is the best answer to the question: would you really go even to an unauthorized rally?
No, damn it, I won’t go. The Bryansk schoolchildren aren’t afraid, but I’ll stay home, drop my questions about Medvedev, and watch what happens on Twitter.
Of course I’ll go, and I urge everyone else to do the same.
Still, I want to say right away—though this may disappoint some people—that there will be no need to break the law. In cities where the authorities issue so-called “refusals” (as in Moscow), they are refusals without offering an alternative venue.
And the Russian Constitutional Court states this explicitly: if no alternative location is offered, you may come to the original location. It is considered automatic approval.
So in Moscow (Facebook, VKontakte), come to Tverskaya Street. It’s all legal. In other cities, follow the rally groups.
Here is a list of groups for cities across Russia. Sign up and come to the rallies.
We have questions, and we will not calm down until we get the answers.
Judging by how frightened the Kremlin was of the Bryansk schoolchildren, the answers may be more interesting than we think.
P.S. We will provide the Bryansk schoolchildren with all necessary legal assistance. Sharing this post is welcome.