Gorbachev Aide Blames Ultra-Right in ‘Insulting’ May Day Disturbance
President Mikhail S. Gorbachev and other leaders walked out on a boisterous May Day demonstration because they were insulted by right-wing forces seeking to turn back to “our tragic history,” a top aide said today.
The unofficial demonstration that followed the traditional workers’ parade Tuesday brought tens of thousands of protesters onto Red Square in an outpouring of discontent over Gorbachev’s policies. Gorbachev and the other leaders left their perch atop the Lenin Mausoleum after enduring the protest for about 20 minutes.
“The leadership left Red Square because . . we do not agree with that ultra-right political position that was demonstrated by those people,” Gorbachev adviser Alexander Yakovlev told reporters.
He said views expressed in portraits and slogans of the protesters targeted the Kremlin leadership for prison or death. Those are the leaders, he added, who “liberated our people from fear” and replaced totalitarian rule with democratic reforms. “Anybody would treat these slogans as an insult.”
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