The unrest was reportedly prompted by rumors that had spread online of incoming “Jewish refugees”
A large crowd of angry protesters gathered at the airport in Makhachkala, the capital city of Russia’s Dagestan Republic, on Sunday searching for alleged “Jewish refugees” there. The unrest prompted the deployment to the scene of law enforcement teams in riot gear.
The crowd breached the airport’s premises and even made it on to the runway, disrupting the airport’s operation, footage from the scene circulating online shows.
The crowds were filmed ‘questioning’ random people at the airport’s terminal to determine whether or not they were Jewish, and also approached just-landed planes with the apparent intent of entering the aircraft.
The unrest at the airport was apparently prompted by rumors spread on local social media channels claiming that a flight from Tel Aviv inbound for Makhachkala was carrying a group of “Jewish refugees,” purportedly fleeing the conflict between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel.
The incident comes a day after a crowd raided a hotel in the Dagestani city of Khasavyurt in search of “Jewish refugees” rumored to be staying there. However, the group failed to find any and the situation was resolved peacefully.
October 29, 2023 at 11:46PM
RT