Arutz Sheva, Israel

Poll: Muscovites Hostile to Skinheads, Jews & Migrants

11:35 Sep 17, ’06 / 24 Elul 5766

(IsraelNN.com) Though 76% of Muscovites have expressed hostility
toward skinheads, a large number of them still share the neo-Nazis’
view of certain non-Russian ethnic groups, according to the national
newspaper `Trud’ published on August 31. Citing a poll of Moscow
residents’ attitudes toward non-Russians, the paper reported that one
third of residents feel antipathy toward Jews and Tatars, slightly
higher numbers feel the same way about Armenians and Georgians, and
over half of residents are hostile toward Azeris and Chechens.

The article lists possible reasons for these attitudes: a large influx
of migrants who tend to cluster together in certain neighborhoods;
negative perceptions of the allegedly ill-gotten wealth of some
migrants; and, paradoxically, the extreme poverty of others, along
with the observation that most migrants are working-age men perceived
by some as competitors for the affections of Russian women.

`Trud’ also reported that this fall, the Moscow City Duma will
consider a bill that envisions the creation of a commission to prevent
ethnic discrimination by fining violators from five to 30 times their
monthly minimum wage. The fines are to be doubled for any racist
agitation on school grounds. (Bigotry Monitor — UCSJ’s weekly newsletter)