Novosibirsk urban preservationists have declared a hunger strike: one of the activists is being forcibly detained in a psychiatric hospital.
In Moscow and Novosibirsk, activists from the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (VOOPIK) launched a hunger strike against a new law allowing officials to demolish architectural monuments. As a result, Natalia Shamina, chair of the Novosibirsk branch of VOOPIK, was taken to a psychiatric hospital after the protest.
Natalia Shamina's arrest and transfer to a psychiatric hospital
Specifically, Natalia Shamina, chair of the Novosibirsk branch of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (VOOPIK), announced an indefinite hunger strike yesterday at the Cyril and Methodius monument in Moscow. Shortly thereafter, security forces took her to the Kitay-Gorod police station and then transported her to a medical facility.
"They took her to a mental hospital. We're filing a complaint about her illegal placement in a mental hospital without her consent or the consent of her relatives."
Consequently, the activist's associates view the events as a direct violation of the law and pressure on the independent movement. Leaders of the Moscow Region and Ryazan branches of VOOPIK also rallied to disrupt the Moscow protest.
Protests by urban preservationists and the dangers of the new bill
Siberia also joined the protest. The day before, it was announced that another heritage activist from Novosibirsk had also begun a "hunger strike for heritage"—she held a solo picket in her hometown.
As a reminder, the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments openly states that the project to strip monuments of their special status carries "colossal risks of cultural heritage loss." Experts believe the document opens the possibility of "the mass exclusion of cultural heritage sites of regional and municipal significance from the unified state register."
However, the controversial amendments were nevertheless adopted in the State Duma in their second and third readings in early July. Ultimately, Igor Kochetkov, deputy chairman of the Ryazan branch of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (VOOPIK), directly called the legislative decision "sabotage at the state level."
