R . I . P IVAN KHUTORSKOY

Ivan Khutorskoy, a renowned Russian anti-fascist, was gunned down by the far-right outside his home in Moscow on Monday 16th. Ivan’s life and death show the perils of fighting the increasingly state-assisted far-right movement in Russia and the bravery of those who do so.

A well-known anti-fascist his address had been publicised on neo-nazi websites. This was the fourth attempt on his life. A keen sambo fighter and mixed martial artist, nick-named the ‘Bonecrusher’, the only way they could get him in the end was with a bullet. In the words of his friends “He lived for the streets and the punk rock.”

The next evening anarchists and anti-fascists gathered for a commemoration at a metro station. After being attacked by riot police they dispersed and re-grouped outside the offices of a pro-Kremlin youth organisation “Young Russia”, that openly co-operates with “Russian Way” - a group behind the assassination of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and anarchist journalist Anastasia Baburova. The office came under bombardment with rocks, fireworks and road-signs. A fitting memorial then..