Moscow police detained an Ethiopian national who provoked a brawl outside bars in the city center by performing a Nazi salute and aggressively confronting patrons.
The incident occurred in the Kitay-Gorod district, where the foreign citizen repeatedly performed the extremist gesture forbidden under Russian law, leading to a physical fight that ended in his arrest along with one of his opponents.
According to the Telegram news channel Mash, the man actively targeted visitors at several drinking establishments in the central quarter. When bystanders expressed outrage over the banned Nazi salute, he reacted with aggression and shouted that he was not afraid of dying.
Kitay-Gorod is a historic commercial quarter located in central Moscow near Red Square and the Kremlin. The area is famous for its narrow medieval street layout, historical landmarks, and dense concentration of nightlife venues, pubs, and dining spots that draw crowds of residents and tourists.
Under Russian legislation, the public display or demonstration of Nazi symbols, gestures, and extremist paraphernalia is strictly illegal. Russian law enforcement agencies treat the public use of banned symbols as a serious public order offense, which can carry penalties ranging from administrative fines and detention to criminal prosecution under anti-extremism statutes.
Police intervention following central Moscow brawl
Witnesses reported that while some venue visitors attempted to reason with the foreign visitor and asked why he was displaying the gesture, others confronted him directly. The dispute quickly escalated into a physical brawl, during which the Ethiopian citizen was knocked out multiple times. Each time he regained his footing, he resumed displaying the extremist gestures to people on the street.
Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene to halt the ongoing disturbance and took the Ethiopian native into custody. Officers also detained one of the most active local participants involved in the physical altercation for questioning regarding the breach of peace.
The Telegram channel Mash is a major Russian online news outlet that regularly reports on law enforcement operations, emergency services, criminal investigations, and municipal incidents across the capital. Police in Moscow's Central Administrative District routinely patrol high-density bar quarters like Kitay-Gorod to enforce public order regulations and prevent street violence.
