MOSCOW, August 22. /ITAR-TASS/. Activists of Russia's Liberal Democratic Party urged Moscow authorities on Friday to dismantle the sign on the McDonald's restaurant in central Moscow as Rospotrebnadzor, a consumer rights watchdog, launched sweeping checks of US-run fast food outlets.

Earlier this month, Rospotrebnadzor, citing violations of numerous sanitary regulations, suspended three restaurants in Moscow including Russia's first McDonald's and a check is underway into McDonald's restaurants in the Republic of Tatarstan in the east-central part of European Russia.

"Why should they teach us how to cook pies?" said LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky in support of the drive against US fast food. He addressed several dozen LDPR activists gathered in front of the country's first McDonald's restaurant in Novopushkinskaya Square to mark Day of the State Flag. Rally participants held posters protesting the presence of US fast food on the Russian market and calling for re-adopting the black-yellow-white flag of the Russian empire.