Russian Tatars Concerned By Skinhead 'Day Of Revenge'

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia -- The indigenous Tatar community that has lived in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod for centuries is concerned after local skinheads firebombed a district police department, RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service reports.

Nizhny Novgorod Deputy Mufti Abdulbari Muslimov told RFE/RL that Tatars "are deeply worried about the situation."

He said xenophobic attacks by Russian skinheads on foreigners and minoritieis have always occurred, such as when Azerbaijani workers and a Malaysian student were recently beaten.

But Muslimov said the latest attack against police shows a new trend of violence from ultranationalists.

In April, calls by right extremists groups for attacks against police buildings on May 5 appeared on several ultranationalist websites.

Skinheads declared the day the "Day of Revenge."