Orthodox extremists destroy works on display in Moscow: offensive to religious sentiment
Moscow (AsiaNews) - One of the most famous and prestigious exhibition halls in Moscow, the Manege (a short walk from the Kremlin) was attacked by a group of Orthodox zealots who destroyed some of the works on display, because they considered them "insulting religious feelings" . The episode has sparked controversy and criticism in the media and in Russian public opinion, where some commentators have called for the cancellation of the controversial law for the defense of the sentiment of believers, invoked by the extremists to justify their aggression.
The story dates to August 14 when activists of the "Will of God" - a conservative right-wing movement, led by self-styled "missionary" Dmitri Tsorionov, known to all as 'Enteo' - destroyed some works of art which they deemed illegal.
The exhibition was inaugurated the day before under the title "The sculptures we do not see" collecting the works of different artists from the LeSS group, active between the 50s and 60s of the last century, whose work "had to remain hidden in basements for years", because of the restrictions imposed by the Soviet regime, as explained in the event’s press release.
Orthodox activists targeted famous sculptures by Vadim Sidur, one of which depicts a naked Christ, and with those of Megasoma Mars (one was titled "Beheading of St. John the Baptist # 2" and included a number of heads made of different materials).
"This violated Russian law," shouted one of Enteo’s followers to security at the museum after the raid. "Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary were ridiculed and this is punishable by the criminal code," the activist added.
In all five works were damaged according to the Moscow Times, who spoke with Elena Karneyeva, spokesperson for the Manege, who has promised that the exhibition will carry on regardless: the damaged works have been replaced by notices that read: "Because of illegal actions this work has been damaged. We apologize".
The museum has filed a complaint and the department of the Moscow Interior Ministry has opened an investigation into the incident; few, however, believe that the perpetrators of the attack will be really punished. All activists involved in the raid at the exhibition were immediately stopped by the police and later released and the incident will probably be reduced to an episode of banal hooliganism.
The law against offense to religious sentiment carries up to one year in prison, but does not define exactly what can be considered offensive. The document was approved by the Kremlin amid controversy, in 2013, after the group Pussy Riot had staged a performance critical of the relationship between church and state in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
The spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate, Vladimir Legoida, has condemned Enteo saying he "has nothing to do with religion", and emphasized the value of the works of Sidur. The head of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Konstantin Kosachyov, called it a "disgusting" aggression, while the head of the presidential council for human rights, Mikhail Fedotov, compared the actions of Enteo to those of the "barbaric terrorists of the Islamic State" .
"Enough is enough. It is time to remove the law on offense to the feelings of believers - Serghei Chapnin, director of the Moscow Patriarchate journal wrote on Facebook '- Nothing good has ever come from this law or does someone still have any doubts? Instead orthodox hooliganism is blossoming nationwide under the umbrella of this law”.
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30/10/2017 10:09
18/08/2022 10:19
