February 27, 2016

Bridge of Contention


Bridge of Contention
Photo: Mikhail Mordasov

The late Boris Nemtsov’s friends and supporters are not surrendering.

It has been a year since the opposition politician was shot as he walked along a bridge near the Kremlin, yet Russians continue to gather at his assassination site.

The authorities are also not surrendering in their effort to erase from the face of the city the memorial that sprung up in his honor. In 2016, attempts to “clean” the bridge intensified; in January the memorial was removed three times. Each time, police drove up to the site at three or four in the morning, claimed they were responding to a report of a disturbance, and then detained activists who are part of a team that guards the memorial around the clock. Municipal workers would then gather up the flowers, Russian flags and candles for disposal.

In one instance, when an activist tied himself to a chair and the chair to a flag post to make it harder to apprehend him, he was arrested for “organizing a mass event for five people by sitting on a wooden chair with a Russian flag and reading poems, which prevented passersby from walking.”

Yet people are still showing up at the bridge, and several online groups have organized themselves: one for people who staff the memorial in shifts, another for people who donate money to purchase flowers. Daily updates are posted, with pictures and interviews with Muscovites and those who visit the capital and stop by the bridge to pay their respects.

At press time, in Moscow the opposition was seeking to hold a rally on the anniversary of Nemtsov’s murder in late February.

In early February, police in Syktyvkar arrested local rights campaigner Ernest Mezak, nearly a year after he held a small rally last March to commemorate Nemtsov’s death. He faces a trial.

Over 30,000 people in Moscow have signed a petition to erect a permanent memorial on the bridge to commemorate the charismatic opposition politician who served as deputy prime minister. There have even been calls to rename the bridge, known as Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, Nemtsov Bridge.

But Moscow authorities, normally rather casual about unveiling monuments to public figures or symbols, are adamant that there is “no sufficient consensus” in society to warrant a memorial to Nemtsov.

It is a strange, quiet, but fierce standoff, and it is likely to last until the Russian parliament passes a bill banning any form of public mourning.

After the latest “zachistka” (cleansing) of the bridge by municipal workers, a volunteer, Olga Avilonova, posted a picture on Facebook of new bouquets arranged on the site, with the Kremlin towers in the background.

“The memorial is doing okay, all has been tidied up and arranged,” she wrote. “It stopped snowing, the flowers are beautiful.”

You Might Also Like

Boris Nemtsov
  • February 28, 2015

Boris Nemtsov

On Friday night, just steps from St. Basil's Cathedral, one of the bravest and most vocal opponents of the Kremlin was gunned down by unknown assailants. How are Russians reacting?
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955