The moment I step onto the stage in Smolensk, a group of guys in tracksuits led by some older man breaks through the police cordon from the side.
In the end, the police hold them back, but since the man was so eager to get on stage, I invited him up and handed him the microphone.
It turned out to be an old acquaintance. Those who have been reading me since 2011 or earlier may remember him too:
The rector of the physical education academy, who once bought himself a car for 4 million rubles. RosPil (an anti-corruption project) gave him a serious public dressing-down over it at the time.
This time he had a neat little plan: bring 150 athletes, climb onto the stage, say, “How can he even stand on this sacred Smolensk soil,” then add, “I have nothing to discuss with him, we’re leaving, and the square will be empty in a moment.”
We argued a bit—it was pretty funny. The guy was saying that all students in Smolensk get housing. I thought people would die laughing. Then he declared that “there are no real Smolensk residents left here, and now everyone will leave.” His 150 people did leave, but the square, to put it mildly, did not end up empty.
So much for the supposedly insane popularity of Putin and United Russia.
I’d like to see them pull together a rally like this here.
It was fantastic. I’m proud to have received support in this wonderful Russian city.
Thank you to everyone who came. The truth is on our side.
Join us.