MOSCOW, March 7 (Itar-Tass) — State Duma members see an element of instigation in the statements of the U.S. Ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul about Moscow's Pushkin Square meeting, chairwoman of the Duma Committee for Security and Counteraction against Corruption Irina Yarovaya (United Russia) told reporters.
According to the American ambassador, the arrests of peaceful demonstrators on Pushkin Square cause concern. The freedom of assembly and the freedom of speech are universal values, he wrote earlier in his micro blog.
Police and the entire law-enforcement system must act in the interests of security of Russia's citizens, Yarovaya stressed. "With all the obviousness, we understand that the absolute majority of Russians are interested to have streets and squares of our cities peaceful and safe," she said.
The legislator warned that "all those who will try to violate public order and hold unsanctioned actions must realize that their actions will be stopped and punished in accordance with the law."
Any attempts, including those of the American ambassador or anybody else, to hinder to ensure public order and security in Moscow and other cities, in fact, are indulgence, or even instigation to allow new law violations. It must not be so, she emphasized.
So, statements of those who give assessments to legal actions of law enforcement authorities would be very much liked to meet the laws of diplomacy and common sense, the legislator concluded.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted in response to McFaul’s statements that the police on Pushkin Square acted many times more humane than Western police act in similar situations.
The opposition meeting For Fair Elections sanctioned by the capital's authorities ended at 21:00 Moscow time. However, later, dozens of activists ignored the police’s lawful demand and attempted to break through, offering resistance to policemen, and intended to block the road traffic. The law-enforcement authorities had to detain some citizens. No special crowd-dispersal equipment was used by the police. They acted properly.