Reggie Yates' Extreme Russia (2015–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Far Right and Proud - full transcript
Broadcaster Reggie Yates meets Russia's new generation of nationalists and racists.
Welcome to Russia.
That's how cold it is - look.
This programme contains strong language and
scenes which some viewers may find upsetting.
Growing up as a kid in the '80s in London,
Russia was painted as
this weird big baddie.
Now with Vladimir Putin well into
his third term as president,
it's starting to feel like that again.
Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine...
Vladimir Putin has ignored the
dark warnings from the West.
There's going to have to be a
very different relationship
between Britain and Russia.
The West has imposed tough
sanctions against Russia...
Russia is responsible for the violence.
...and relations are the
frostiest since the Cold War.
So I'm here to find out why
so many young people are
rallying around the flag.
In Moscow, nationalism is on the march.
'And led by a president busy flexing
his muscles on the world stage...'
Literally rings with Putin's
face on, that's incredible.
'..Russian pride is at an all-time high.'
But there's a darker side to
Russian nationalism - much darker.
I think I'm the only black
man in Red Square right now!
I've gained unique access
to some of Russia's
most high-profile ultra-nationalists...
...to discover what some young people
think it means to be a true Russian...
This one... is a masterpiece.
...and to find out what happens when
you love your country too much.
I've come to Moscow, the
second biggest city in Europe
and the political heart of Russia.
When you think of Russia you sort of
imagine snow, cold, big fluffy hats.
I was expecting the cold,
but when you feel it,
you realise what the cold actually is!
Relations between the Kremlin
and the West are at their worst
since the collapse of the Iron Curtain.
Economic sanctions have
hit the economy hard,
and anti-Western feeling is high.
But despite all this,
here in Russia, Putin has
an almost 90% approval rating,
making him one of the most
popular leaders in the world.
Not entirely sure if I'd pick a Putin mug.
There's even Putin Russia
dolls - look at that!
And many young people are finding
their voice, rallying around
the president and the flag as a way
of fighting back against the West.
Every garment has a political message.
The fashion show is hosted by Set,
a movement of young creatives
who are using their
unique talents to showcase
Russia on the world stage.
And yes, that is Putin's face
plastered on almost every garment.
The place is packed with
trendy young hipsters,
but they're here for
politics as well as fashion.
Set are one of the fastest growing
youth organisations in Russia,
and their propaganda is
making politics cool.
I've been invited back to their head
office in the centre of the city,
and I'm keen to find out more about them.
- Hello. - Hello.
- Hey, how you doing? I'm Reg.
I was waiting for you, nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you, what's your name?
- My name is Anna.
Hello, Anna, lovely to meet you.
So this is your offices?
Yes, this is Set. I'm
sure you will love it.
There seems to be quite a lot
of pictures of Putin here.
- Yeah.
- Why is that?
Because we love our government,
and everything that is done
is done right, and all of it
is inspired by the new Russia.
The new Russia. What's the new Russia then?
It's the Russia with Putin in power,
all people here are very
patriotic, they love their country
and they're proud of doing something
which reflects the country's history,
the country's values,
and it is supported all round the
country, also round the world.
Set has 11 offices in major
cities across Russia,
and thousands of young people have
been recruited to their cause.
I take it you're a big fan of Putin?
I mean, he's on your T-shirt.
- Yeah.
- Do you have a tattoo?
Why is that I literally can't
go five steps without seeing
a picture of Putin in this office?
Because he is our leader.
He is not a political
construction like President Obama
or David Cameron, Vladimir
Putin thinks on another level.
Could you explain the images
here of Putin with animals?
Why are there so many pictures of
him with animals all in one place?
To me, the way they portray
Putin seems pretty weird,
it's almost like a form of worship.
But they seem to see him not just as a man,
but as a concept, used to promote
Russian strength and attitude.
This just gets weirder and weirder.
'There's even a card game
where Putin is the hero.
'And guess who the baddies are.'
Is that supposed to be David Cameron?
I don't know if I believe
that, but whatever.
In Russia, loving your country
and your president is actively encouraged.
The views I'm hearing are
fast becoming mainstream.
It seems as though there
is this idea that he is
a loved man by everybody in the
country, even the animals,
where does that idea come from?
That's the reality, that's not the idea.
That's actually how it is.
Do you think it's strange
that I'm surprised,
or should I not be surprised?
That's strange that you're
surprised, cos I think it's normal.
It's amazing to see the
facilities you've got, you've got
plasmas everywhere, editing suites,
photoshoots, it's amazing,
but what is the real reason
behind what it is you do?
We have very interesting purposes
of creating world leaders,
and I think we're starting
to succeed in it.
And do you think that world leaders
will come out of this group?
I'm sure. I hope I will be one
of them in the fashion industry.
Art and propaganda have always
gone hand in hand in Russia.
But in the 21st century, it's not
just traditional methods that
young people are using to portray ideas.
Russians are more active on social
media than almost any other country
in the world, and today I'm
crashing the photoshoot of
a young nationalist who's using just
that to spread her political agenda.
I don't know whether to...
say hello or run away.
Each to their own.
Nationalists like 19-year-old Masha believe
traditional Russian
values are under threat.
Her day job is working for Putin's
ruling party in Russia's parliament,
and I'm wondering if that's where
she borrowed her prop collection.
Ah, now I know quite a lot of
people that work in fashion,
and I can honestly say I've
never seen one of these
at a photoshoot! How does this
fit into what you're shooting?
Right, OK. Well, are you going to
change into something else then,
get another outfit on?
You've got to go for the gun.
Come on, let's get the camo
on, love, let's go for it.
Brilliant.
This is a turn for the books, isn't it?
I just didn't think there'd
be bloody axes! And guns!
Arr!
But behind the cheesy props,
there's a serious message.
Masha uses social media
to promote her ideas of
a stronger Russia to a worldwide audience,
and has become something
of an internet star.
She believes her images will unite
Russians against the great enemy.
What made you start taking
pictures of yourself in
several different outfits and
posting them on social networks?
Masha hopes her online persona
can start a movement to reunite
all former republics of the Soviet
Union into one country again.
So, essentially, you mean
returning to the Soviet Union,
is that what you mean?
Despite what our governments might think,
Masha sees Putin's invasion
of the Crimea and the support
for Ukrainian rebels as steps towards
returning Russia to its former glory.
When the Soviet Union broke up in 1991,
one country became 15 separate states,
and countries like Russia, Ukraine
and Uzbekistan came into being.
But Russia's economy was
always the strongest,
and thousands of people, from
the poorer new countries
surrounding it, flooded
in in search of work.
There's now around 11 million
immigrants living in Russia,
and just like everywhere else in the
world, they're an easy scapegoat
even though many once lived
in the same country.
More than half of Russians now
hold anti-immigration views,
and police keep close tabs on
anyone whose face doesn't fit.
I'm outside this busy rail
station, and it's interesting,
because there are quite a lot of police.
They're definitely making
their presence felt,
because they seem to only be stopping
what are quite obviously immigrants.
Fuck. There you go.
The last guy they picked up,
he is now getting thrown in
the back of the meatwagon.
It's really happening, and
it's happening right here.
I'm getting a taste of what
it might actually be like
to be an immigrant here in Moscow.
But it's not just the police
most immigrants are scared of.
After the Soviet Union collapsed,
numerous ultra-nationalist groups
sprung up to protect against what
they saw as a foreign invasion.
And for years, this man, Dmitry Demushkin,
has been at their centre.
He once led the Slavic Union, a
group of over 25,000 neo-Nazis
which Putin shut down
for being TOO extreme.
He now leads another
extreme nationalist group
called, simply, The Russians.
They're taking to the streets
tomorrow, and I want to be there.
One of their members has uploaded
a video to rally the troops.
The guy's name is Vadim.
I've tracked him down, and
after delicate negotiations,
he's agreed to meet me on the march.
Vadim's my way into the group, and
hopefully its leader Demushkin.
This march, on the face of it,
it seems like I should be
the last person attending!
You know what I mean?
I'm in the middle of Moscow,
I'm going to a march on nationalism,
and I've got a feeling
there aren't going to be many other
black guys there with camera crews.
So I MIGHT stand out just a little bit.
I'm very aware that there
is no way of knowing
what I'm walking into, and
that makes me feel uneasy.
It's the day of the march,
and to be completely honest,
I'm not entirely sure what to expect.
Ten years ago, Putin
himself started this march
to celebrate Russian unity,
but the ultra-nationalists
quickly hijacked it.
They're marching in Lyublino,
a working-class suburb
in the south of the city and
a nationalist heartland.
Wow.
You can see packs of people
congregating in different places,
it feels like we're right
at the beginning of...
...of it all.
Look at that.
Just across the street there are
buses and buses full of coppers.
Look at that - packed.
In the past, the march has turned violent,
so the authorities aren't
taking any chances.
They've flooded the area with police.
And like at all public gatherings here,
they're making EVERYONE walk
through metal detectors.
Microphone.
I can't seem to find Vadim,
but loads of people are
taking an interest in me.
It seems like every time I turn around,
there's a different camera in my face.
Either it's a photographer
or one of these
professional-looking news crews.
Then a young journalist tells me why.
My face is all over Russian social media.
Oh, really?
- Really.
- What are they saying, can I see?
- One second.
- Apparently I've gone viral.
Lots of people on Twitter are
talking about the stupid black guy!
- Let's have a look. - No, no, no.
- There's a picture of me here.
- What are they saying?
- That you're a brave man.
You look worried for me.
A little bit.
The demonstration is magnet for
many different groups, but they all
have one thing in common - a
belief in Russian supremacy.
Suddenly being in the mix just
changes things massively,
the dynamic is really different,
because you can really feel
and hear just how passionate people are.
There's a massive pack of young
guys in the centre of the march,
they all seem to be
covering their faces now.
'The atmosphere's changing fast,
'and I need to find Vadim
as quickly as possible.
'He's my only contact
with these extremists,
'and I've got a feeling I
might need his protection.
'Then, suddenly, I spot him.'
I'm pretty sure that's Vadim over there.
- Vadim? Hello.
- Hello.
- Whoa, that was Viking-like. How are you doing?
- Fine, thanks.
Already it seems as though
lots of people are taking
an interest in myself, cos, quite
obviously, I'm not from Russia.
How do you think I'm going
to be received today?
- That's it.
- You sure? You sure about that?
You don't seem so sure! You're not so sure.
You're not so sure.
'I'm sticking to Vadim like glue,
'and he agrees to take me
into the heart of the march.
'But then I see Dmitry Demushkin,
the nationalist leader,
'and it seems he's just
as eager to talk to me.'
How is your health? Are you doing fine?
My health is good, I'm alive
and well and being look after.
What did he say?
- Calm environment, nobody's going to...
- Oh, right, OK.
I think I've become part of the broadcast
and part of the march suddenly, as well.
We're, as you can see,
surrounded by cameras,
and Dmitry has decided to make a
point of the fact that I'm here,
because me being here says
that this is a friendly march.
Well, this has taken a
massive turn, I, erm...
...suddenly feel really uncomfortable.
We've been hijacked.
'It's dawned on me why they've come here.
'Demushkin's keen to get
into mainstream politics.
'Social media is such an effective
propaganda tool, being seen with
'a black guy is going to do wonders
for the illusion of tolerance.'
- Vadim, how's it going?
- Fine.
What are you doing? Are you taking
pictures and putting them online?
Did you think that he was going
to try and get me on camera then?
If Vadim wants me here to show
how tolerant nationalists are,
it's clear the message hasn't
got through to everyone.
The fascist side of this
nationalist pack is coming out.
The most scary thing about it
is just how young they are.
They're walking through an
incredibly residential area,
and if you are an immigrant
staying in one of these flats,
how does that make you feel?
How part of this country do you feel?
How safe do you feel?
Obviously not nice comments.
Obviously not nice comments -
something about bananas.
Wow.
If these signs are anything to go by,
it's all to do with Asian
men and women, and Islam.
Because they've basically
got a three-headed monster
made up of what looks like Islamic men.
It's just ridiculous!
Fucking hell...
So there's another column here,
and those flags actually really...
really look like swastikas.
- Do you mind being on camera?
- ..Talk to you? - Yeah.
What you want? What you want to know?
OK, what's your reason
for being here today?
You can answer in Russian. Shall we get going?
Let's catch up.
White power!
Jesus.
After about two hours, the
march comes to an end,
and the crowds quickly break up.
Around 20 people have been
arrested for expressing
extreme right-wing views.
The rest return to their everyday lives.
Not far from where the march
finished, is a place where
many of the extreme
nationalists like to hang out.
Dmitry and Vadim have asked me
to meet them at this little,
well, it looks like a
community centre really.
I don't know exactly what
we're walking into, but he's
demanded that I join them and that I...
"have a chat" with them here.
There's Vad. You all right?
How are you doing?
- Hello. - Where's Dmitry? Is he inside?
- Er, I think he was inside.
Oh, right. Are you joining us?
Cheers, Vad.
Hey, there he is. How are you doing?
Dmitry says he's changed since
his days in the Slavic Union.
He's got mainstream political ambitions
and is keen to show a softer side.
On the march that you got
organised, I heard people chanting.
"Russia for Russians" and
"Keep Russia white",
were you aware of that
sort of chant happening?
So what's your point of
view on the way that
the country's being run then?
Vadim, why are you filming?
Just because it's rather
interesting for our viewers.
It's funny, during the march you
made a point of my presence
by sort of showing me off
to the press, why was that?
You do realise I'm not
African-American, don't you?
No, Afro-English? I'm British.
Yeah?
Why did you think I was African-American?
Glad I could help.
Vadim, it seems you've already put
up that video of our conversation.
Oh, that was just a private message,
I didn't show that on, eh...
- So you've not put it on Facebook?
- No, no. - Are you sure?
Pretty sure I saw you put
it on Russian Facebook.
So what exactly does it mean to
be a nationalist today then?
And who are your people exactly?
It's been a long and stressful day.
I'm not sure what to make of Demushkin,
but meeting him has only
strengthened my determination
to find out more about his
extreme form of nationalism.
Most of the 11 million
immigrants living in Russia
are from the Muslim
republics of Central Asia,
which used to be part of
the old Soviet Union.
These are the people Demushkin
has a real problem with.
I've arranged to meet Omar.
He runs a popular blog detailing
many of the issues that
immigrants like him have to
deal with living in Russia.
So why's it the migrants and
not Russian natives making
these incredible buildings that
are changing the face of Moscow?
Although immigrants from
these countries don't need
visas to come here, they do need
work permits, but more than
four million don't have these
and are working illegally.
So on a site like this then, how
many people would be illegal
versus the people that
have the right to be here?
Russia has the second-largest
immigrant population in the world
and this is causing huge resentment
among many native Russians.
'Omar wants me to meet Ibrahim.'
- Reggie.
- Hello, nice to meet you. Reggie.
Ibrahim, nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Do you want to get something to drink?
Great.
'He came to Russia from Uzbekistan
in 2009, hoping for a better life.
'Instead, he was brutally attacked
by extreme nationalists.'
Why... why do you think they attacked you?
What was their reason?
What was their motivation?
There's no reliable figures on
how many migrants are attacked
as most go unreported.
But online, ultra-nationalist groups
share trophy videos on social media sites,
showcasing their absolute hatred
for anyone who isn't Russian.
I've arranged to meet members
of one of the most notorious
of these gangs, Restrukt.
- Hello. Alexis?
- Alexei.
- How are you doing? Reggie. Nice to meet you. Lisa?
- Hello, yes.
- Hello, good to meet you both. Shall we, um...?
- Let's go.
So, how old are you guys, then?
17, 24.
- So you're quite young.
- Yeah.
I'm a bit surprised at your
age that you're so sure
about how you feel in terms
of nationalism, et cetera.
- I mean...
- Mm-hm.
Is that common for people of your age?
Were you, at 17, just as
confident about your views?
For Alexei and Lisa, nationalism
is not just a mind-set,
it's a way of life -
including what they wear.
Surrounded by nationalist symbolism,
and even allusions to nazism,
it's scary that people so young
want to be part of this family.
Alex, I exercise,
and when I take my coat
off, I don't look like you.
Fair enough.
So how exactly did this all begin for you?
Where did these feelings come from?
Why is it so important to you, then,
to be proud of being Russian,
be proud of where you're from?
What would you like
Russia to be like, then?
What's your Russian future,
if you were given the choice?
Well, not everyone is exactly
comfortable with your point of view.
Have you ever got in
trouble for your views?
You're not allowed to leave Russia?
That night, Alexei and Lisa
invite me to a boxing match
organised by their nationalist friends.
But what they stand for is
really playing on my mind.
It's really loud in there.
I can barely hear.
A little earlier on, you spoke
about your dream Russia
being white, being nationalist
and people being proud
of traditional values.
Um... if you were to
move to another country,
do you think you'll be
able to live in a place
that feels quite the opposite of that?
My grandfather's an
Englishman, he's a white guy,
and my family have been mixing for
generations, blacks and whites.
So does that make me a mongrel, then?
So my children are at risk of
diseases and abnormalities?
OK. All right. Well, um...
shall we go back in and see
if we can catch the fight?
Do you know what? I'm going
to pop outside, all right?
I'm going to shoot off.
I don't think I could stay
in there for much longer,
if I'm totally honest.
That... ignorance was just making me...
struggle
with continuing to communicate
with someone so backwards.
They're fighting for a Russia
that they deem to be pure,
and that isn't about lifestyle.
It's about colour.
Being in Russia is... to be
really honest with you, tough,
because... this is a place that isn't
used to people that look like me.
And... it's really starting to wear on me.
The past few days have led me
to a much darker version of
nationalism than I expected.
And as one of Russia's most
high-profile nationalists,
I feel I've got to challenge
Demushkin on what I've seen.
But to get to him, I'm going
to have to go through Vadim.
- Are you all right? - Huh?
- Are you all right? - Yeah, I'm good.
You've been very quiet for
the last 20 minutes or so.
I was never... noisy, or something.
- Come on.
- That's us?
'They've used ME. Now
I'm going to use them.
'Even if it means spending more
time with someone I don't trust.'
- Be my guest.
- Thank you.
Come on.
- That's it.
- This is your room? - Yeah.
I see.
Holy cow, what's all this here?
That's my little hobby.
It's more than a little one!
Let me put my gloves down.
In fact, I should probably put my gloves on
so I don't leave any prints.
You noticed knives.
You didn't notice this.
- Holy shit. Are they real guns?
- No, BBs.
Can you understand why
I'd be really surprised
that you have this many weapons?
I mean, why do you need a butterfly knife?
- It's not butterfly.
- What kind of knife is this?
That is just a simple...
pocket knife.
- Nothing special.
- Jesus.
- Having so many knifes, to me...
- For EDC - everyday carrying -
I have much more... smaller knife.
- So you have that in your pocket at all times?
- Every day.
You know, you wake up in the morning
and... you get used to take
shower or clean your teeth.
And I get used to...
taking a knife with me.
I sit in the office and
someone has a birthday,
he brought...
cake
and someone has to slice it.
And the practice shows that
among 15 men in my office -
nobody has knife.
And they every time ask me,
"Vadim, do you have knife?"
I say, "What a stupid question,
of course I have a knife!"
That's it. I think knives are one of
the most beautiful human creations.
This one... is masterpiece.
It's completely legal in Russia
and it's strong and... useful.
What would you use it for?
This is best combat knife ever.
These knives, we are training in rubber...
- Training?
- Knife fight.
I am knife-fight instructor.
- Don't be scared.
- Right. OK.
All right, so you collect these...
and you train.
And have you ever had to use your
knife in an emergency on the street?
Never.
And even I had...
I would never talk about it.
That's a forbidden question.
I'm sorry.
- Forbidden where?
- Everywhere.
You have no right to ask for it
and you must to ask... not to ask it.
So if you had used your knife,
- you would never talk about it?
- Yes, of course.
- Have you used your knife?
- Never.
In wrong cases, never.
Vadim has invited me to a club -
a knife-fighting club -
and we're meeting his mates in the metro.
It was only later I found out
that Vadim was trying to
censor his friends...
...and keep a lid on what many
obviously felt about me being there.
Vadim's just pissed off.
If I'd have known what he
was saying at the time,
I'd have been far more wary
about joining the fight club.
I'm nervous enough as it is,
but then Demushkin shows up
and it becomes clear he is the
one leading the training.
Coming from London, where knife
crime is such a problem,
it's really shocking here
that they're actually teaching
kids how to use them.
- What's your name?
- Gyorgy.
- How old are you?
- 14.
- Nice to meet you. You're 14?
- Yeah.
Wow. 14. I mean, you're much
younger than I thought.
What's your reason for joining this class?
Uh...
Wow. And was this guy an immigrant?
You're going to go back? OK,
thanks, nice to meet you.
There's a kid I just met
- who was 14 years old.
- 14? - Yeah.
What's the minimum age you
can allow to join the club?
Mm...
14 years old. Why not?
You want me up?
Do I need this?
Here we go.
And he's got his guy filming it for
his website or YouTube or something.
Strongly...
- Grab stronger.
- All right.
Have you ever been attacked before, then?
And who was it that was attacking you?
Five...
Five of them. And how did
you survive that attack?
They're only using rubber knives,
but these guys look like they
know exactly what it takes
to inflict serious damage on someone,
and with knife attacks
on immigrants going up,
I can't help but feel this kind
of training is doing nothing
to make the situation any better.
But it's not just economic
migrants who are in danger.
Francis, a political refugee from
the Democratic Republic of Congo,
was welcomed by Russia
but attacked simply because
his face doesn't fit.
- Hello. - Hello.
- Hey - Francis? - Hey.
Pleasure to meet you. How are you doing?
- I'm good, thank you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Can I just grab a seat here?
- Yeah, of course.
Sure.
So, what's the story?
What happened, Francis?
I was going to take the
bus, going to go home,
and I saw three guys
and they called me, "Nigger...
"..come here."
I came and I say, "My name is Francis.
"Don't call me nigger."
He said it again, "Nigger, can I take
a picture of you and my friend?"
I said, "Please, my name is Francis.
Don't call me nigger."
They took pictures and, um...
after, they said to me,
"Nigger, come, come here."
And they said to me, "Man, you
are nigger, but you dress well."
In that moment, he... he got a big knife.
A knife, like this.
He said to me, "Give me your coat."
I said, "I can't, it's very cold.
Please... no."
In that time, they begin to kick me.
That man were big, very big.
He put the sword to my body.
He opened, like a pig, my body.
I've got the scar, here till here.
And begin to kick me. They kick
me, they kick me. I was...
And I wake up at the hospital.
I'm so sorry to hear what you've, um...
what you've experienced.
Why do you think that
they have such an issue
with immigrants such as yourself?
I don't know.
We are the same, you see.
No difference, it's only
in the colour of our skin.
We are also human being.
I don't understand nationalist peoples.
To hate immigrants...
I don't understand that kind of behaviour.
Strange. Very strange.
When you hear something like Francis' story
and you've experienced the
knife-fighting club like I have,
there's a horrible
connection between the two.
Dmitry is a man leading a whole
heap of nationalist men and women.
And if it is extreme nationalists
who are attacking people like Francis,
if Dmitry isn't stopping it and
stopping that kind of activity,
he's... he's partly responsible.
I'm leaving Moscow tomorrow,
but the extra time I've spent
with Vadim's paid off.
Demushkin's agreed to
meet for one final chat.
The knife-fighting part of what
it means to be nationalist -
in your eyes, anyway - seems
to be quite a big thing.
It seems to be quite important
to you and what you stand for.
I mean, you've got a knife
on your T-shirt today,
you lead this knife-fighting club as well
and I've met immigrants who have
been attacked by nationalists
and... nearly died.
Ah...
Regardless of what the
immigrants are doing,
you're essentially the head
of the nationalist movement -
you're a figurehead, you're a face for it.
Can you not see that there's
some sort of responsibility
that you should take?
So do you think that you'll be the
leader of the nationalists for ever?
Is this something that
you see yourself doing
until you're an old man?
All right. Look, um... thank
you for talking to me again.
All right.
Thank you very much, thank you.
Take care. Thanks.
Nationalism has always
been strong in Russia
and the extremists only
really occupy the fringes.
But now, with polls suggesting
that around 80% of Muscovites
favour the deportation
of immigrant workers,
this may be changing.
And with the far right gaining
ground not just in Russia,
but across Europe, what
Demushkin stands for
may worryingly become
closer to the mainstream.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with
being proud of who you are
and where you come from.
There's nothing wrong with
being proud of your
heritage and your culture.
I think the... I think the
problem with nationalism
is that there is a massive dark side to it.
There are a lot of people that I've met
who aren't necessarily just
proud of who they are,
but they also feel that the
land that they're from
should belong to just them.
And what that is causing is a...
a scary reaction
to anybody that isn't Russian.
Tremors by SOHN.
♪ Flood lines we etched when
we merged into one... ♪
Next time...
...I'm in St Petersburg to see
what young gays face in a country
where their sexuality is being outlawed.
- If the law allowed it...
- Yeah, if the law allowed...
- ..what would he do?
- He would kill those people.
By stone, like the Bible.
Homosexuality is disgusting.
Homophobia is beautiful and natural.
♪ ..Vibrations of tremors
that shook long ago
♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago
♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago
♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago
♪ Vibrations of tremors
that shook long ago. ♪
That's how cold it is - look.
This programme contains strong language and
scenes which some viewers may find upsetting.
Growing up as a kid in the '80s in London,
Russia was painted as
this weird big baddie.
Now with Vladimir Putin well into
his third term as president,
it's starting to feel like that again.
Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine...
Vladimir Putin has ignored the
dark warnings from the West.
There's going to have to be a
very different relationship
between Britain and Russia.
The West has imposed tough
sanctions against Russia...
Russia is responsible for the violence.
...and relations are the
frostiest since the Cold War.
So I'm here to find out why
so many young people are
rallying around the flag.
In Moscow, nationalism is on the march.
'And led by a president busy flexing
his muscles on the world stage...'
Literally rings with Putin's
face on, that's incredible.
'..Russian pride is at an all-time high.'
But there's a darker side to
Russian nationalism - much darker.
I think I'm the only black
man in Red Square right now!
I've gained unique access
to some of Russia's
most high-profile ultra-nationalists...
...to discover what some young people
think it means to be a true Russian...
This one... is a masterpiece.
...and to find out what happens when
you love your country too much.
I've come to Moscow, the
second biggest city in Europe
and the political heart of Russia.
When you think of Russia you sort of
imagine snow, cold, big fluffy hats.
I was expecting the cold,
but when you feel it,
you realise what the cold actually is!
Relations between the Kremlin
and the West are at their worst
since the collapse of the Iron Curtain.
Economic sanctions have
hit the economy hard,
and anti-Western feeling is high.
But despite all this,
here in Russia, Putin has
an almost 90% approval rating,
making him one of the most
popular leaders in the world.
Not entirely sure if I'd pick a Putin mug.
There's even Putin Russia
dolls - look at that!
And many young people are finding
their voice, rallying around
the president and the flag as a way
of fighting back against the West.
Every garment has a political message.
The fashion show is hosted by Set,
a movement of young creatives
who are using their
unique talents to showcase
Russia on the world stage.
And yes, that is Putin's face
plastered on almost every garment.
The place is packed with
trendy young hipsters,
but they're here for
politics as well as fashion.
Set are one of the fastest growing
youth organisations in Russia,
and their propaganda is
making politics cool.
I've been invited back to their head
office in the centre of the city,
and I'm keen to find out more about them.
- Hello. - Hello.
- Hey, how you doing? I'm Reg.
I was waiting for you, nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you, what's your name?
- My name is Anna.
Hello, Anna, lovely to meet you.
So this is your offices?
Yes, this is Set. I'm
sure you will love it.
There seems to be quite a lot
of pictures of Putin here.
- Yeah.
- Why is that?
Because we love our government,
and everything that is done
is done right, and all of it
is inspired by the new Russia.
The new Russia. What's the new Russia then?
It's the Russia with Putin in power,
all people here are very
patriotic, they love their country
and they're proud of doing something
which reflects the country's history,
the country's values,
and it is supported all round the
country, also round the world.
Set has 11 offices in major
cities across Russia,
and thousands of young people have
been recruited to their cause.
I take it you're a big fan of Putin?
I mean, he's on your T-shirt.
- Yeah.
- Do you have a tattoo?
Why is that I literally can't
go five steps without seeing
a picture of Putin in this office?
Because he is our leader.
He is not a political
construction like President Obama
or David Cameron, Vladimir
Putin thinks on another level.
Could you explain the images
here of Putin with animals?
Why are there so many pictures of
him with animals all in one place?
To me, the way they portray
Putin seems pretty weird,
it's almost like a form of worship.
But they seem to see him not just as a man,
but as a concept, used to promote
Russian strength and attitude.
This just gets weirder and weirder.
'There's even a card game
where Putin is the hero.
'And guess who the baddies are.'
Is that supposed to be David Cameron?
I don't know if I believe
that, but whatever.
In Russia, loving your country
and your president is actively encouraged.
The views I'm hearing are
fast becoming mainstream.
It seems as though there
is this idea that he is
a loved man by everybody in the
country, even the animals,
where does that idea come from?
That's the reality, that's not the idea.
That's actually how it is.
Do you think it's strange
that I'm surprised,
or should I not be surprised?
That's strange that you're
surprised, cos I think it's normal.
It's amazing to see the
facilities you've got, you've got
plasmas everywhere, editing suites,
photoshoots, it's amazing,
but what is the real reason
behind what it is you do?
We have very interesting purposes
of creating world leaders,
and I think we're starting
to succeed in it.
And do you think that world leaders
will come out of this group?
I'm sure. I hope I will be one
of them in the fashion industry.
Art and propaganda have always
gone hand in hand in Russia.
But in the 21st century, it's not
just traditional methods that
young people are using to portray ideas.
Russians are more active on social
media than almost any other country
in the world, and today I'm
crashing the photoshoot of
a young nationalist who's using just
that to spread her political agenda.
I don't know whether to...
say hello or run away.
Each to their own.
Nationalists like 19-year-old Masha believe
traditional Russian
values are under threat.
Her day job is working for Putin's
ruling party in Russia's parliament,
and I'm wondering if that's where
she borrowed her prop collection.
Ah, now I know quite a lot of
people that work in fashion,
and I can honestly say I've
never seen one of these
at a photoshoot! How does this
fit into what you're shooting?
Right, OK. Well, are you going to
change into something else then,
get another outfit on?
You've got to go for the gun.
Come on, let's get the camo
on, love, let's go for it.
Brilliant.
This is a turn for the books, isn't it?
I just didn't think there'd
be bloody axes! And guns!
Arr!
But behind the cheesy props,
there's a serious message.
Masha uses social media
to promote her ideas of
a stronger Russia to a worldwide audience,
and has become something
of an internet star.
She believes her images will unite
Russians against the great enemy.
What made you start taking
pictures of yourself in
several different outfits and
posting them on social networks?
Masha hopes her online persona
can start a movement to reunite
all former republics of the Soviet
Union into one country again.
So, essentially, you mean
returning to the Soviet Union,
is that what you mean?
Despite what our governments might think,
Masha sees Putin's invasion
of the Crimea and the support
for Ukrainian rebels as steps towards
returning Russia to its former glory.
When the Soviet Union broke up in 1991,
one country became 15 separate states,
and countries like Russia, Ukraine
and Uzbekistan came into being.
But Russia's economy was
always the strongest,
and thousands of people, from
the poorer new countries
surrounding it, flooded
in in search of work.
There's now around 11 million
immigrants living in Russia,
and just like everywhere else in the
world, they're an easy scapegoat
even though many once lived
in the same country.
More than half of Russians now
hold anti-immigration views,
and police keep close tabs on
anyone whose face doesn't fit.
I'm outside this busy rail
station, and it's interesting,
because there are quite a lot of police.
They're definitely making
their presence felt,
because they seem to only be stopping
what are quite obviously immigrants.
Fuck. There you go.
The last guy they picked up,
he is now getting thrown in
the back of the meatwagon.
It's really happening, and
it's happening right here.
I'm getting a taste of what
it might actually be like
to be an immigrant here in Moscow.
But it's not just the police
most immigrants are scared of.
After the Soviet Union collapsed,
numerous ultra-nationalist groups
sprung up to protect against what
they saw as a foreign invasion.
And for years, this man, Dmitry Demushkin,
has been at their centre.
He once led the Slavic Union, a
group of over 25,000 neo-Nazis
which Putin shut down
for being TOO extreme.
He now leads another
extreme nationalist group
called, simply, The Russians.
They're taking to the streets
tomorrow, and I want to be there.
One of their members has uploaded
a video to rally the troops.
The guy's name is Vadim.
I've tracked him down, and
after delicate negotiations,
he's agreed to meet me on the march.
Vadim's my way into the group, and
hopefully its leader Demushkin.
This march, on the face of it,
it seems like I should be
the last person attending!
You know what I mean?
I'm in the middle of Moscow,
I'm going to a march on nationalism,
and I've got a feeling
there aren't going to be many other
black guys there with camera crews.
So I MIGHT stand out just a little bit.
I'm very aware that there
is no way of knowing
what I'm walking into, and
that makes me feel uneasy.
It's the day of the march,
and to be completely honest,
I'm not entirely sure what to expect.
Ten years ago, Putin
himself started this march
to celebrate Russian unity,
but the ultra-nationalists
quickly hijacked it.
They're marching in Lyublino,
a working-class suburb
in the south of the city and
a nationalist heartland.
Wow.
You can see packs of people
congregating in different places,
it feels like we're right
at the beginning of...
...of it all.
Look at that.
Just across the street there are
buses and buses full of coppers.
Look at that - packed.
In the past, the march has turned violent,
so the authorities aren't
taking any chances.
They've flooded the area with police.
And like at all public gatherings here,
they're making EVERYONE walk
through metal detectors.
Microphone.
I can't seem to find Vadim,
but loads of people are
taking an interest in me.
It seems like every time I turn around,
there's a different camera in my face.
Either it's a photographer
or one of these
professional-looking news crews.
Then a young journalist tells me why.
My face is all over Russian social media.
Oh, really?
- Really.
- What are they saying, can I see?
- One second.
- Apparently I've gone viral.
Lots of people on Twitter are
talking about the stupid black guy!
- Let's have a look. - No, no, no.
- There's a picture of me here.
- What are they saying?
- That you're a brave man.
You look worried for me.
A little bit.
The demonstration is magnet for
many different groups, but they all
have one thing in common - a
belief in Russian supremacy.
Suddenly being in the mix just
changes things massively,
the dynamic is really different,
because you can really feel
and hear just how passionate people are.
There's a massive pack of young
guys in the centre of the march,
they all seem to be
covering their faces now.
'The atmosphere's changing fast,
'and I need to find Vadim
as quickly as possible.
'He's my only contact
with these extremists,
'and I've got a feeling I
might need his protection.
'Then, suddenly, I spot him.'
I'm pretty sure that's Vadim over there.
- Vadim? Hello.
- Hello.
- Whoa, that was Viking-like. How are you doing?
- Fine, thanks.
Already it seems as though
lots of people are taking
an interest in myself, cos, quite
obviously, I'm not from Russia.
How do you think I'm going
to be received today?
- That's it.
- You sure? You sure about that?
You don't seem so sure! You're not so sure.
You're not so sure.
'I'm sticking to Vadim like glue,
'and he agrees to take me
into the heart of the march.
'But then I see Dmitry Demushkin,
the nationalist leader,
'and it seems he's just
as eager to talk to me.'
How is your health? Are you doing fine?
My health is good, I'm alive
and well and being look after.
What did he say?
- Calm environment, nobody's going to...
- Oh, right, OK.
I think I've become part of the broadcast
and part of the march suddenly, as well.
We're, as you can see,
surrounded by cameras,
and Dmitry has decided to make a
point of the fact that I'm here,
because me being here says
that this is a friendly march.
Well, this has taken a
massive turn, I, erm...
...suddenly feel really uncomfortable.
We've been hijacked.
'It's dawned on me why they've come here.
'Demushkin's keen to get
into mainstream politics.
'Social media is such an effective
propaganda tool, being seen with
'a black guy is going to do wonders
for the illusion of tolerance.'
- Vadim, how's it going?
- Fine.
What are you doing? Are you taking
pictures and putting them online?
Did you think that he was going
to try and get me on camera then?
If Vadim wants me here to show
how tolerant nationalists are,
it's clear the message hasn't
got through to everyone.
The fascist side of this
nationalist pack is coming out.
The most scary thing about it
is just how young they are.
They're walking through an
incredibly residential area,
and if you are an immigrant
staying in one of these flats,
how does that make you feel?
How part of this country do you feel?
How safe do you feel?
Obviously not nice comments.
Obviously not nice comments -
something about bananas.
Wow.
If these signs are anything to go by,
it's all to do with Asian
men and women, and Islam.
Because they've basically
got a three-headed monster
made up of what looks like Islamic men.
It's just ridiculous!
Fucking hell...
So there's another column here,
and those flags actually really...
really look like swastikas.
- Do you mind being on camera?
- ..Talk to you? - Yeah.
What you want? What you want to know?
OK, what's your reason
for being here today?
You can answer in Russian. Shall we get going?
Let's catch up.
White power!
Jesus.
After about two hours, the
march comes to an end,
and the crowds quickly break up.
Around 20 people have been
arrested for expressing
extreme right-wing views.
The rest return to their everyday lives.
Not far from where the march
finished, is a place where
many of the extreme
nationalists like to hang out.
Dmitry and Vadim have asked me
to meet them at this little,
well, it looks like a
community centre really.
I don't know exactly what
we're walking into, but he's
demanded that I join them and that I...
"have a chat" with them here.
There's Vad. You all right?
How are you doing?
- Hello. - Where's Dmitry? Is he inside?
- Er, I think he was inside.
Oh, right. Are you joining us?
Cheers, Vad.
Hey, there he is. How are you doing?
Dmitry says he's changed since
his days in the Slavic Union.
He's got mainstream political ambitions
and is keen to show a softer side.
On the march that you got
organised, I heard people chanting.
"Russia for Russians" and
"Keep Russia white",
were you aware of that
sort of chant happening?
So what's your point of
view on the way that
the country's being run then?
Vadim, why are you filming?
Just because it's rather
interesting for our viewers.
It's funny, during the march you
made a point of my presence
by sort of showing me off
to the press, why was that?
You do realise I'm not
African-American, don't you?
No, Afro-English? I'm British.
Yeah?
Why did you think I was African-American?
Glad I could help.
Vadim, it seems you've already put
up that video of our conversation.
Oh, that was just a private message,
I didn't show that on, eh...
- So you've not put it on Facebook?
- No, no. - Are you sure?
Pretty sure I saw you put
it on Russian Facebook.
So what exactly does it mean to
be a nationalist today then?
And who are your people exactly?
It's been a long and stressful day.
I'm not sure what to make of Demushkin,
but meeting him has only
strengthened my determination
to find out more about his
extreme form of nationalism.
Most of the 11 million
immigrants living in Russia
are from the Muslim
republics of Central Asia,
which used to be part of
the old Soviet Union.
These are the people Demushkin
has a real problem with.
I've arranged to meet Omar.
He runs a popular blog detailing
many of the issues that
immigrants like him have to
deal with living in Russia.
So why's it the migrants and
not Russian natives making
these incredible buildings that
are changing the face of Moscow?
Although immigrants from
these countries don't need
visas to come here, they do need
work permits, but more than
four million don't have these
and are working illegally.
So on a site like this then, how
many people would be illegal
versus the people that
have the right to be here?
Russia has the second-largest
immigrant population in the world
and this is causing huge resentment
among many native Russians.
'Omar wants me to meet Ibrahim.'
- Reggie.
- Hello, nice to meet you. Reggie.
Ibrahim, nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Do you want to get something to drink?
Great.
'He came to Russia from Uzbekistan
in 2009, hoping for a better life.
'Instead, he was brutally attacked
by extreme nationalists.'
Why... why do you think they attacked you?
What was their reason?
What was their motivation?
There's no reliable figures on
how many migrants are attacked
as most go unreported.
But online, ultra-nationalist groups
share trophy videos on social media sites,
showcasing their absolute hatred
for anyone who isn't Russian.
I've arranged to meet members
of one of the most notorious
of these gangs, Restrukt.
- Hello. Alexis?
- Alexei.
- How are you doing? Reggie. Nice to meet you. Lisa?
- Hello, yes.
- Hello, good to meet you both. Shall we, um...?
- Let's go.
So, how old are you guys, then?
17, 24.
- So you're quite young.
- Yeah.
I'm a bit surprised at your
age that you're so sure
about how you feel in terms
of nationalism, et cetera.
- I mean...
- Mm-hm.
Is that common for people of your age?
Were you, at 17, just as
confident about your views?
For Alexei and Lisa, nationalism
is not just a mind-set,
it's a way of life -
including what they wear.
Surrounded by nationalist symbolism,
and even allusions to nazism,
it's scary that people so young
want to be part of this family.
Alex, I exercise,
and when I take my coat
off, I don't look like you.
Fair enough.
So how exactly did this all begin for you?
Where did these feelings come from?
Why is it so important to you, then,
to be proud of being Russian,
be proud of where you're from?
What would you like
Russia to be like, then?
What's your Russian future,
if you were given the choice?
Well, not everyone is exactly
comfortable with your point of view.
Have you ever got in
trouble for your views?
You're not allowed to leave Russia?
That night, Alexei and Lisa
invite me to a boxing match
organised by their nationalist friends.
But what they stand for is
really playing on my mind.
It's really loud in there.
I can barely hear.
A little earlier on, you spoke
about your dream Russia
being white, being nationalist
and people being proud
of traditional values.
Um... if you were to
move to another country,
do you think you'll be
able to live in a place
that feels quite the opposite of that?
My grandfather's an
Englishman, he's a white guy,
and my family have been mixing for
generations, blacks and whites.
So does that make me a mongrel, then?
So my children are at risk of
diseases and abnormalities?
OK. All right. Well, um...
shall we go back in and see
if we can catch the fight?
Do you know what? I'm going
to pop outside, all right?
I'm going to shoot off.
I don't think I could stay
in there for much longer,
if I'm totally honest.
That... ignorance was just making me...
struggle
with continuing to communicate
with someone so backwards.
They're fighting for a Russia
that they deem to be pure,
and that isn't about lifestyle.
It's about colour.
Being in Russia is... to be
really honest with you, tough,
because... this is a place that isn't
used to people that look like me.
And... it's really starting to wear on me.
The past few days have led me
to a much darker version of
nationalism than I expected.
And as one of Russia's most
high-profile nationalists,
I feel I've got to challenge
Demushkin on what I've seen.
But to get to him, I'm going
to have to go through Vadim.
- Are you all right? - Huh?
- Are you all right? - Yeah, I'm good.
You've been very quiet for
the last 20 minutes or so.
I was never... noisy, or something.
- Come on.
- That's us?
'They've used ME. Now
I'm going to use them.
'Even if it means spending more
time with someone I don't trust.'
- Be my guest.
- Thank you.
Come on.
- That's it.
- This is your room? - Yeah.
I see.
Holy cow, what's all this here?
That's my little hobby.
It's more than a little one!
Let me put my gloves down.
In fact, I should probably put my gloves on
so I don't leave any prints.
You noticed knives.
You didn't notice this.
- Holy shit. Are they real guns?
- No, BBs.
Can you understand why
I'd be really surprised
that you have this many weapons?
I mean, why do you need a butterfly knife?
- It's not butterfly.
- What kind of knife is this?
That is just a simple...
pocket knife.
- Nothing special.
- Jesus.
- Having so many knifes, to me...
- For EDC - everyday carrying -
I have much more... smaller knife.
- So you have that in your pocket at all times?
- Every day.
You know, you wake up in the morning
and... you get used to take
shower or clean your teeth.
And I get used to...
taking a knife with me.
I sit in the office and
someone has a birthday,
he brought...
cake
and someone has to slice it.
And the practice shows that
among 15 men in my office -
nobody has knife.
And they every time ask me,
"Vadim, do you have knife?"
I say, "What a stupid question,
of course I have a knife!"
That's it. I think knives are one of
the most beautiful human creations.
This one... is masterpiece.
It's completely legal in Russia
and it's strong and... useful.
What would you use it for?
This is best combat knife ever.
These knives, we are training in rubber...
- Training?
- Knife fight.
I am knife-fight instructor.
- Don't be scared.
- Right. OK.
All right, so you collect these...
and you train.
And have you ever had to use your
knife in an emergency on the street?
Never.
And even I had...
I would never talk about it.
That's a forbidden question.
I'm sorry.
- Forbidden where?
- Everywhere.
You have no right to ask for it
and you must to ask... not to ask it.
So if you had used your knife,
- you would never talk about it?
- Yes, of course.
- Have you used your knife?
- Never.
In wrong cases, never.
Vadim has invited me to a club -
a knife-fighting club -
and we're meeting his mates in the metro.
It was only later I found out
that Vadim was trying to
censor his friends...
...and keep a lid on what many
obviously felt about me being there.
Vadim's just pissed off.
If I'd have known what he
was saying at the time,
I'd have been far more wary
about joining the fight club.
I'm nervous enough as it is,
but then Demushkin shows up
and it becomes clear he is the
one leading the training.
Coming from London, where knife
crime is such a problem,
it's really shocking here
that they're actually teaching
kids how to use them.
- What's your name?
- Gyorgy.
- How old are you?
- 14.
- Nice to meet you. You're 14?
- Yeah.
Wow. 14. I mean, you're much
younger than I thought.
What's your reason for joining this class?
Uh...
Wow. And was this guy an immigrant?
You're going to go back? OK,
thanks, nice to meet you.
There's a kid I just met
- who was 14 years old.
- 14? - Yeah.
What's the minimum age you
can allow to join the club?
Mm...
14 years old. Why not?
You want me up?
Do I need this?
Here we go.
And he's got his guy filming it for
his website or YouTube or something.
Strongly...
- Grab stronger.
- All right.
Have you ever been attacked before, then?
And who was it that was attacking you?
Five...
Five of them. And how did
you survive that attack?
They're only using rubber knives,
but these guys look like they
know exactly what it takes
to inflict serious damage on someone,
and with knife attacks
on immigrants going up,
I can't help but feel this kind
of training is doing nothing
to make the situation any better.
But it's not just economic
migrants who are in danger.
Francis, a political refugee from
the Democratic Republic of Congo,
was welcomed by Russia
but attacked simply because
his face doesn't fit.
- Hello. - Hello.
- Hey - Francis? - Hey.
Pleasure to meet you. How are you doing?
- I'm good, thank you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Can I just grab a seat here?
- Yeah, of course.
Sure.
So, what's the story?
What happened, Francis?
I was going to take the
bus, going to go home,
and I saw three guys
and they called me, "Nigger...
"..come here."
I came and I say, "My name is Francis.
"Don't call me nigger."
He said it again, "Nigger, can I take
a picture of you and my friend?"
I said, "Please, my name is Francis.
Don't call me nigger."
They took pictures and, um...
after, they said to me,
"Nigger, come, come here."
And they said to me, "Man, you
are nigger, but you dress well."
In that moment, he... he got a big knife.
A knife, like this.
He said to me, "Give me your coat."
I said, "I can't, it's very cold.
Please... no."
In that time, they begin to kick me.
That man were big, very big.
He put the sword to my body.
He opened, like a pig, my body.
I've got the scar, here till here.
And begin to kick me. They kick
me, they kick me. I was...
And I wake up at the hospital.
I'm so sorry to hear what you've, um...
what you've experienced.
Why do you think that
they have such an issue
with immigrants such as yourself?
I don't know.
We are the same, you see.
No difference, it's only
in the colour of our skin.
We are also human being.
I don't understand nationalist peoples.
To hate immigrants...
I don't understand that kind of behaviour.
Strange. Very strange.
When you hear something like Francis' story
and you've experienced the
knife-fighting club like I have,
there's a horrible
connection between the two.
Dmitry is a man leading a whole
heap of nationalist men and women.
And if it is extreme nationalists
who are attacking people like Francis,
if Dmitry isn't stopping it and
stopping that kind of activity,
he's... he's partly responsible.
I'm leaving Moscow tomorrow,
but the extra time I've spent
with Vadim's paid off.
Demushkin's agreed to
meet for one final chat.
The knife-fighting part of what
it means to be nationalist -
in your eyes, anyway - seems
to be quite a big thing.
It seems to be quite important
to you and what you stand for.
I mean, you've got a knife
on your T-shirt today,
you lead this knife-fighting club as well
and I've met immigrants who have
been attacked by nationalists
and... nearly died.
Ah...
Regardless of what the
immigrants are doing,
you're essentially the head
of the nationalist movement -
you're a figurehead, you're a face for it.
Can you not see that there's
some sort of responsibility
that you should take?
So do you think that you'll be the
leader of the nationalists for ever?
Is this something that
you see yourself doing
until you're an old man?
All right. Look, um... thank
you for talking to me again.
All right.
Thank you very much, thank you.
Take care. Thanks.
Nationalism has always
been strong in Russia
and the extremists only
really occupy the fringes.
But now, with polls suggesting
that around 80% of Muscovites
favour the deportation
of immigrant workers,
this may be changing.
And with the far right gaining
ground not just in Russia,
but across Europe, what
Demushkin stands for
may worryingly become
closer to the mainstream.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with
being proud of who you are
and where you come from.
There's nothing wrong with
being proud of your
heritage and your culture.
I think the... I think the
problem with nationalism
is that there is a massive dark side to it.
There are a lot of people that I've met
who aren't necessarily just
proud of who they are,
but they also feel that the
land that they're from
should belong to just them.
And what that is causing is a...
a scary reaction
to anybody that isn't Russian.
Tremors by SOHN.
♪ Flood lines we etched when
we merged into one... ♪
Next time...
...I'm in St Petersburg to see
what young gays face in a country
where their sexuality is being outlawed.
- If the law allowed it...
- Yeah, if the law allowed...
- ..what would he do?
- He would kill those people.
By stone, like the Bible.
Homosexuality is disgusting.
Homophobia is beautiful and natural.
♪ ..Vibrations of tremors
that shook long ago
♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago
♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago
♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago
♪ Vibrations of tremors
that shook long ago. ♪