Police control situation in Moscow amid rumors of race violence

There was no retaliation on Wednesday for race-hate attacks on people
from Russia's North Caucasus on December 11 in central Moscow. There
were however scattered incidents. Retaliation was planned by
extremists at Europe Square not far from the Kievskiy railway station,
news.mail.ru reports.

The police had called the messages a provocation from the very
beginning. An anonymous phone call made a false report about a bomb at
a nearby trade center.

RIA Novosti says that there was a fight between riot police and a
group of about 10 youths at 17.00. They were giving interviews to the
media and refused to leave.

Interfax says that approximately 300 people gathered at the railway
station. There were minor fights.

The total of people arrested in Moscow reached 150 at 16.00,
approximately half of them at the Kievskiy station. Several stun guns,
knifes, clubs, knuckles and other weapons were confiscated.

The Patriarch of All-Russia Kirill and the head of the Russian Mufti
Council Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin said that the events in central Moscow
were caused by small extremist groups.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said that the calls for gathering at the
Yevropeyskiy center are a provocation. He said that not a single
Chechen will be involved in it.

Head of the Main Police Department in Moscow Victor Biryukov said that
approximately 200 people have been arrested.