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Bomb hoax at modern art exhibition in Moscow

Law enforcers believe that this is “a case of telephone terrorism”

MOSCOW, September 21 (Itar-Tass) — The Moscow police have received a report about an explosive device allegedly planted in the Marat Guelman Gallery at the Winzavod Centre for Contemporary Art in Moscow where the Dukhovnaya Bran (Spiritual Abuse) exhibition has opened and already become controversial, the city’s law enforcement bodies told Itar-Tass.

“An anonymous caller told the police that a bomb was planted at the exhibition premises located at 4, Syromyatnichesky Proyezd,” the source said.

Operatives were sent to the place to verify that information. They established that the telephone call was a bomb hoax.

At the same time, law enforcers believe that this is “a case of telephone terrorism.” The policemen are trying to identify the caller.

The “Modern Icons” exhibition that displays, among others, members of the Pussy Riot punk group, was opened on Thursday and its opening turned into a brawl, and a group of Cossacks tried to block the entrance to Winzavod. As a result, nine people were arrested for disorderly conduct, they were taken to a police station for a preventive conversation. The entrance to the Winzavod exhibition had to be closed.

Director of Winzavod Yelena Panteleyeva told Itar-Tass that Winzavod has no relation to the exhibition. “Our exhibition policy does not include expositions that are aggressive towards the state or church, however, it also does not imply authoritarian decisions,” she said.

“Marat (Guelman) has, unfortunately, placed us before an accomplished fact, and as soon as he returns to Moscow, we will address this issue,” added the director, expressing regret that the exhibition has disrupted Winzavod’s comfortable atmosphere.