An initiative group came to see me. General Glagolev Street. As used as I am to hearing about the authorities’ “construction shenanigans,” I still sat there listening in disbelief. A car dealership decided to expand its grounds at the expense of the small park. They submitted permit documents twice. Twice they were denied because it was a park and there were trees growing there. And then they found a way around it. Out of nowhere, guys from the Radon Research and Production Association (a Russian state-linked hazardous waste and radiation cleanup organization) show up in the courtyard and declare that the park is radioactive. They tear down the playground. They fence off the park. **And they start cutting down the trees. **All of this is called “decontamination work.” The Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM) is called in and finds no radiation. All the commissions concluded that the fence was put up illegally. And yet it is still standing. Residents try to tear the fence down themselves. But the dealership has stationed a private security company there, which chases everyone away and won’t let anyone come close. All this is happening 20 meters (about 66 feet) from the entrances of an apartment building. The cops show up, whisper about something with the dealership people, and leave. Naturally, once they finish cutting everything down, the park will be removed from the protected zone and they’ll get permission to build on it. It’s just completely outrageous.