Opposition patriot arrest confirms end of Crimean consensus
First, Platoshkin is charged with “inducing, recruiting or otherwise involving a person” and committing the acts provided for in the first part of Article 212 of the Criminal Code: riots accompanied by “violence, pogroms, arson, destruction of property, use of weapons, explosive devices, explosive, poisonous or other substances and objects that pose a danger to others, as well as the provision of armed resistance to a representative of the authorities. ” Maximum penalty: 10 years in prison.
Secondly, “the public dissemination under the guise of reliable messages of knowingly false information about circumstances that pose a threat to the life and safety of citizens, and (or) on measures taken to ensure the safety of the population and territories, methods and methods of protection against these circumstances.” The maximum punishment here is restriction of liberty for a term of up to three years.
What exactly are the actions or statements of Platoshkin – a political scientist, publicist and a rapidly “spinning” politician – that served as the basis for such grave accusations, one can only guess. Viewing his social media accounts, as well as the site of the For New Socialism movement led by him, did not provide information on this subject. Viewing, we admit, was fluent. But calls for riots, in theory, should be visible and not particularly armed eye.
Yes, at the end of May Platoshkin announced his intention to hold a series of public actions throughout the country on June 6 under the slogans of the resignation of the president, government and the dissolution of the State Duma. Where the quarantine will be weakened, it was supposed to arrange mass pickets and rallies, where not, – single pickets. The corresponding notice was filed by his supporters at the city hall of dozens of cities (including in Moscow).
In general, they reached a plateau – and there is Platoshkin. In the vast majority of cases, approval was refused – in connection with the extension of the quarantine regime. What Platoshkin was extremely indignant: they say, they insisted on self-isolation specially in order to prevent mass protests – “it cost us to submit an application.” However, in spite of the prohibitions, he did not call anyone to take to the streets. “Well, then we’ll submit an application, for example, on 06/15,” he said. “We won’t be left behind …”
In a word, Platoshkin’s public activity is more an alibi than evidence. But there is still non-public. It was there, according to the information of an informed source of MK, that “crime” was discovered – in chats with like-minded people on Telegram and WhatsApp. “They allegedly found information on the preparation of violent acts,” the source said. “Nonsense, of course, but the“ office ”can now report: they were instructed not to allow mass protests during the campaign to prepare for a vote on the Constitution.”
According to the interviewee of the MK observer, “there was no political decision – this is the initiative of the FSB.” Nevertheless, he believes that the chances of closing the case, despite the campaign launched by Platoshkin’s supporters and supported by many politicians and public figures, are not high: “As we know, the bodies are not mistaken. They will do their best to defend the uniform’s honor.”
This version partly explains the informational stinginess of the investigation: probably the special services do not want to for the time being reveal their hacker tools. Yes, and in themselves such methods look, to put it mildly, doubtful. In essence, this is nothing more than a fight against “thought crimes”. But ethical issues concern our law enforcement officers, of course, least of all. The main thing is the result.
The result is obvious: Platoshkin, isolated under house arrest, has been excluded from political life for at least several months. And, possibly, for many years. If it comes to court, then no matter how mild the sentence, the articles of the Criminal Code imputed to him block the way to the elections.
There will be no rallies either. At least in the near future. “We ask our comrades-in-arms, our supporters, not to organize unauthorized actions in support of Nikolai Nikolayevich Platoshkin,” announced the movement “For New Socialism.” “Unfortunately, this can only hurt him.”
But the costs are obvious. Platoshkin’s arrest documentarily confirms the end of the “Crimean consensus”. “Vladimir Putin has unconditional merits that cannot be disputed …” This was said by Platoshkin only a year ago and it was said about the annexation of Crimea. There was no more fierce supporter of the return of the peninsula to its “native harbor” in the Russian information and political space of Russia. They were equally furious, but no more.
Moreover, Nikolai Nikolaevich advocated – and continues to advocate – for the accession of the Donbass, and in the long term – for the whole of Ukraine. And is, as you might guess, a staunch anti-Americanist. Our federal television channels really liked this way of thinking: for a number of years Platoshkin was a regular on propaganda television shows. Until that moment, until it ceased to be limited to criticism of the “Bandera” and their “American masters.”
Perhaps there is no more clear evidence that the political scene of Russia is no longer divided into patriots and liberals than the arrest of Platoshkin. The old opposition “guard” could be characterized by the words of Lenin: “The circle of these revolutionaries is narrow. They are terribly far from the people.” The second stage has begun: “The circle of fighters has become wider, their connection with the people is closer.” And the next one, I will continue to quote Ilyich, “begins to grow before our eyes.”
Apparently, this is the answer to the question “for what.” For, figuratively speaking, the slogan “Crimea is ours!” organically combined in Platoshkin – and those who follow him – with a bubbling hatred of power. The explosive mixture of modern times.
Read the material “Details of the detention of opposition leader Nikolai Platoshkin became known“
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