Have you ever been to Russian bronze riot in Tallinn in 2007? What did you go through there?
Have you ever been to Russian bronze riot in Tallinn in 2007? What did you go through there? from Eesti
Have you ever been to Russian bronze riot in Tallinn in 2007? What did you go through there?
Have you ever been to Russian bronze riot in Tallinn in 2007? What did you go through there? from Eesti
27 comments
I was 17 when it happened and went to school in the Old Town. School still happened despite the riots. After night 1 I still went to school as normal. When we went for a walk during long recess we saw a lot of damaged store fronts but the streets were calm.
I had a party to go to that evening and saw the beginnings of riot night 2 in the centre. Police were lining up and people were perhaps gathering. I was in a Russian area that night at a party but nobody bothered us. There was fear in the air for sure. Eventually it just seemed that the rioters were really looters who wanted free stuff from the shops.
I was in the army at the time as a conscript with less than 2 months to go. Everyone was put on high alert, weekend passes cancelled. Our unit was stationed in one of the army’s logistical hubs, pretty much the biggest small arms storage in Tallinn. We had a PASI APC with .50cal on the main gate, 4 or 6 mg3 machine guns on strategic places, everyone was armed and loaded, drilling all the time to get our response times faster, installing razor wire etc. We were the guys who sorted the riot gear, that was bought in a hurry from other countries. We went to pick them up from the airport, opened up the containers, played with them a bit and sorted them for police redistribution.
My father and my mother were both police officers at that time, they were both sent out to the street to protect. Mom was a office worker, she was even sent out to the street, she was stationed next to the rahvusraamatukogu. I havent really asked them about it but it must have been tough, I was only 14 at that time.
I wasn’t really in the middle of it when it got bad in the city. But all I can say is that in that short period of time, it was about the only time I was ethnically targeted in my own country, approximately 2 or 3 times.
In my mostly russian speaking neighbourhood, I was suddenly ambushed and surrounded by a gang of russian speaking youths.
They basically asked me if I was Russian or Estonian. Thanks to being fluent in Russian, I lied and I got away, but I wonder what could have been.
I was in 6th grade and had just gotten access to WAP internet on my phone, that’s when I became a news-junkie.
I lived near but outside of Tallinn, so the events took place on a bit of distance. I remember my parents telling me the next day when going to school, that I should stand up if someone were to bully the Russian kids in my class, as they were not at fault. There was some tension, but most 6th graders did not really know or care about things too much.
I did not, back then, fear a direct Russian involvement. Russia was a little adversarial towards Estonia, but that had been a relatively recent development. Trade with Russia was much-much bigger back then and there was actual desire to have good-neighborly relations. For Estonia, the events in 2007 and the invasion of Georgia in 2008 were the moments when it became clear that Russia is still 100% an imperialist fuckwit that would gladly exterminate our people if given the chance.
I lived there.
At first I noticed them gathering, and cycled by multiple times, noting that this was not the usual stuff.
At night, I noticed them fleeing Tõnismäe, since people throwing things and repeated attempts to climb the fence caused cops to use tear gas and flash-bang grenades.
Then I noticed them smashing the city center, since cops had concentrated themselves at the monument on Tõnismäe and were missing from the city center.
My front door was likewise smashed.
One of my acquaintances was present at the riot as an “observer”. (He was an anarchist and interested in how such things develop. I guess he knew in advance that this was likely to blow the lid. I didn’t write his story down, though, so I cannot reliably retell it.)
I saw that, I had a date with a chick between two riot nights in the Old Town parks 😀 I was 16-17 y.o.
My relative has a beauty salon in the city centre. They were sitting inside with their (legal) weapon and protecting it, but riots didn’t come to their street.
Some *gopniks* from our neighbourhoods immediately started wearing Gucci, D&G and Armani clothes. I don’t know personally anyone who was in riots as an attacker, but I know many people protecting the city. As it is typically with that kind of rioting idiot – as soon as you show your strength, the attacker with run away. And I can say, that police also was very polite.
Anybody who is really interested how this Riot happened, then watch this.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3xq2XrCHv8&t=4s&ab_channel=Infopocalypse%21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3xq2XrCHv8&t=4s&ab_channel=Infopocalypse%21)
Much of Russia´s playbook for future information wars was constructed in this 2007 attempt.The big surprise in hindsight is how much the Russian State TV helped to pump up “anger” with straight lies. Another surpise is that it took till 2022 to ban Russian ZombieTV. I think in 2015 when I bought my first smart TV i got scared how much apps Russian TV stations have, free live on Youtube…Russia Today has gotten easily American talkers on like Joe Rogan. Russian State TV and info operations has been the sleeper mass destruction weapon for decades, they have poisened the minds of millions. This is what makes it so hard right now to wake up Russian people from the Zombie sleep – it is not eternal but this even tricked Estonian Russian speaking politicians who appeared on Russian TV programs to boost their popularity thinking that TV is only entertainment…
Paraphrasing the writing from Chernobyl TV show – “What is the cost of lies?”[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_FnmQ1PspI&ab_channel=AriefSeptianNurhada](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_FnmQ1PspI&ab_channel=AriefSeptianNurhada)
My grandma was living just down the road of Tõnismägi at the time. She was very scared, rioters threw bricks through her front door, she definatley put all the locks on that night. I was young and out the country at the time, but I remember she told me she shouted out her window at them and they left pretty much after that.
“have you ever been to” sounds like it’s a regular event.
“were you at the…” would be better.
My take maybe somewhat uncommon.
I was in 9th grade in a Russian-language school (obvs from a Russian-speaking family). I was at home and very scared, refreshing the news. We had Russian TV channels at home so I was hearing their perspective and I was honestly confused why Estonians were doing to “our” “legacy”. I was also reading Russian versions of Postimees/Delfi/whatever existed back then but I looking back I didn’t feel like it educated me enough about the Estonian perspective. (Actually they’ve improved a lot but even a few years ago Russian- and Estonian- language Postimees were like two completely different publishing companies ). The education/integration system failed me in a sense that I could not read news in Estonian and get a fuller picture and a local perspective.
Anyway. I was worried for my safety in a sense that speaking Russian on the street might get my ass beat up, and for my future where I thought I might be unwelcome in my own country and given limited opportunities. I was also kind of having an identity crisis, because never in my life did I feel a connection to Russia, but I also felt like whatever connection I’ve been developing with Estonia was being broken. In school we talked about how scared we all were and how you should carry something to defend ourselves with in case someone attacks us, like a rock or something. I don’t know anyone who was actually attacked but we were all very scared and the threat felt real. Unfortunately our teachers did not educate us either, they either ignored the topic or talked about the Russian army as the liberators, discrediting the government’s actions.
Only years later did I see a bigger picture through speaking to Estonians and reading Estonian sources, and only then I felt supportive of the decisions made by the government. I was in my twenties by then. Many of those coming from Russian-speaking schools probably still do not. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
I lived in almost that part of the city center at that time, on Roosikrantsi Street.
There was a liquor store on the corner of Roosikrantsi and Pärnu mnt.
And I remember how the “peaceful protesters” there bought vodka by the block and opened those packages with a pocket knife.
At that time, the windows of the Westamn store were still intact.
Night at our street was quite peaceful, only one broken window as I remember and as I was young and stupid I went to have a look at Pärnu mnt to describe the situation to a friend over the phone.
Pärnu mnt after the the mass of “peaceful protestors” had gone over in hordes…soviet remains soviet.
I was out with my buddies in a park few hundred meters away where we often hung out anyways drinking etc after school, waiting to see how this develops, listening the noises and reading updates, I remember it was pretty tense and we were trying to contact someone in military we knew to hear if they are getting involved or what.
Anyways later when we got moving we ran across some familiar Estonian punks/kids who took part of looting and had as much booze with them as they could carry. We kinda looked down on them, but we had no idea they would all later get arrested and humiliated super hard. Later in the evening once all the Russians had been beaten down and left and action was over, we ran across as mob of some 100+ drunk Estonians who upon hearing we were Estonians called us to join them in their hunt for Russians. We passed and later heard they were all taken down by police like half an hour later lol. We looked at damages at our school, some of the windows had been stoned in, and headed home as it was getting late and I think it was a school day next day.
Feels weird watching this video. Since at the time I guess it felt like a big deal, but looking back it was a pretty minor riot in a very small area, like maybe 300×300 meters area pretty much 😀
I was a student in Tartu at that time.
On my way home from my nightshift I was stopped by skinheads, and asked who am I, and weather or not I am a “bastard *(tibla)”.
I speak Estonian and do not associate myself with communists and brainwashed ru-true zombies, so it was easy to explain this point.
This, and the fact that I had a phone number of one of the Tratu nazi gang leaders at that time in Tartu (they had a private party several times at the club where I worked, and already previously inquired in to who tf am I)
All in all, I visited Bronze soldier only once in my lifetime, around year 2000, when it was still in Tõnismäe. Just to understand what the whole hubub is all about.
Also, It was already clear at that time, that everyone captured on video will be investigated. Bunch of kinds who believed they will be left unpunished… I knew two people (boys from lasnamäe ghetto) who had to deal with police after their presence on the streets at that time.
I actually liked the part that a lot of trash was detained at that time also. They were complaining, that they were treated harshly. I think they were not treated harsh enough.
I called my father who was a retired cop in the US. Told him I wanted to go out and film the riots. He made it very clear I should stay at home. So on the first night I did just that.
2nd night my best friend and I went out. I was living on Lai st. at the time. So we went up Pikk Jalg to Toompea and there was no one else. Got a really beautiful shot of the tower with this large construction vehicle parked underneath to prevent anyone from driving in that way.So we made our way down through Viru st over towards Venus Club. Crossed Mere puiestee street. Heard some loud yelling and turned around. This guy in a long heavy winter coat runs past me. Chased by this mob of riot police.
I legitimately let out this loud, “Oh ffffffffffuck!” and for a brief second I thought I was gonna get truly fucked up. But they also ran past me. Shot him 3 times with rubber bullets. Tackled him, piled on him, hog tied him and dragged him back across the street and dumped him by that small market. That was one of the dumping spots for those who they arrested. He left behind a large pool of blood on the sidewalk.
My friend watched this from a few meters away from me. We decided it would be best to go back home. Between the Russian Embassy and Lai street we encountered about 50+ riot police who were Marching though the Old Town.
Another loud “Oh fuck” followed with, “I live right there” and pointed to my building. Nothing was said back to us.
The old pc is still in storage with all these videos and photos on it. Would be cool to watch the videos of that night.
But my father was correct. Stay home during a riot. Not worth the beating or worse if the violence catches up with you.
I was 16 and heard some rumors that Russian communities in cs are trying to invite people onto the streets. Basically, everyone who went was morons who just found a reason to break and vandalize. Most of the people didn’t care about monuments at all.. in my friend circle which was mostly Russian-Ukrainian by that time nobody even went there.
The next day i remember that i went for walk in oldtown and the citycentre with my friends and my parents were really scared that something will happen again. It was really sad to see how different businesses were destroyed – even family businesses got hit.
I think and still do, that this was one bunch of idiots who hopefully got a big fine for it. You can demonstrate your feelings without destroying others’ property.
I was 27 and kind of out of touch with news before it started. I knew there was something happening, but I thought it wouldn’t go further than a demonstration with a few rowdy people maybe detained until they would calm down.
So, at the evening of the first riot, I had a movie night with my friends in Kadriorg, as we did semi-regularly. So none of us was watching the news during that. After the movies we went to Lost Continent bar that used to be on Narva mnt. Did not see anything out of ordinary.
At the end of the night when we were each going our own way, I decided to walk home. I did so often. I lived in Pelgulinn at that time and the road took me through the center of Tallinn, through old town. All I saw was some broken windows and heavy presence of police in the streets. The violent part was over by that time probably. I did take a detour seeing some police cars blocking a road. I did feel afraid and I did get scared messages from my friends once they heard the news at their homes, but nothing really happened to me.
Have been following the news more closely since then.
My mum’s a cop, so she had to go to work that night. I was a kid, so I just remember staying up super late and watching the news with my dad, scared af that she might be hurt. She wasn’t though, so it’s all good, but it felt terrible knowing what was happening and yet not knowing whether my mother was okay.
I was working in the beginning of Narva mnt then, and living in Uus Maailm – so walking home was straight over Vabaduse square.
At the main day of riots it was really nice and warm weather – I walked home, there was some police presence, but life going on like normal.
During the day one artist girl had invited me to opening of some art show in artists commune on Madara street. Iinitially I declined, and started playing STALKER at home. But the weather was nice, and I felt that I had been playing too much lately, so I phoned back and took her up to the offer. I think we met on the Vabaduse square, as we walked past Tõnismägi. It was full of people, but everybody was friendly and calm. Drank a bit of beer with artists, and went back to old town. When walking by, saw even more people on Tõnismägi, but everybody still friendly.
Chatted with different people in front of some alcohol shop in old town, when the first news of riot came in. I remember I talked with some slightly drunk businessman, who was slightly worried about his laptop and documents left in a car in Vabaduse square. But he thought that the riots wont get that far away from Tõnismäe and still went to his friends place somewhere in Pirita.
After that news of heavy riots came in – not really trustworthy, there was talk of thousands of russians systematically going towards old town and destroying everything and beating up everyone. We were able to find shelter in one cellar bar, door was closed-locked after us, and all lights extinguished.
Sat in that bar, got news from internet on barmans laptop I think.
We discussed what we should do, planned to sneak towards my home over railway lines, hoping that there is dark and we can hide ourselves in case some gang walks by, and able to get to my place.
By 1 am it was more-or-less clear that the riots were extinguished, and we walked to my place, over destroyed Vabaduse square.
I didnt go in middle of it and i live in suburb, but my gf was working in city, so i went to get her home after work, as i didnt feel it was safe was estonian girl out there. But some people little older than me did go to old town to beat russians. They told they did it in 1991 and it was similar situation now. I think alot from both groups went there, because there was excuse now to act like they always wanted to.
Some groups of imperialistic Russian assholes trashed the city when a symbol to their evil deeds was relocated…
I was 17 and walking in the city with my friend, it was insane. People were getting hit with water cannons, my friend and I were scare to even speak Estonian. There were rolled over police cars and we even ran away from a big mob with baseball bats. It was pretty instense.
And imagine they are still living among us. They are first ones who will attack us. And people ask why i hate most of them lol
I was in the 5’th grade and I remember watching TV and seeing all those people rioting and burning our downtown and it ignited a massive hatred in me towards all Russians which went away when I got a bit more educated. I did go full right-wing extremist for the entirety of my teenage years. I still remember being extremely angry, thinking that these people are worthless bandits, cockroaches and we should get rid of them all. Looking back I understand it was more complicated than that, these were (and still are) people influenced by tons of propaganda and the strings were being pulled by Kremlin propagandists. All-in-all it was a lesson in the powerful impact of disinformation upon people.
“You must know the language of your enemy” – is what my father told me when it happened. I was only 9 years old at that time. In his 70 years of life in Tallinn my father never bothered to learn more than 2 words in Estonian. The audacity of people breeding hatred in children and brainwashing them since school over a fucking ugly statue.
It is very ironic that what my father told me is what killed my progress in learning as it made me insecure about the language I absolutely enjoyed learning as a kid. I did not want to learn the language of my enemy as it was never my enemy. And I was not angry or hateful kid and never seen Estonians or anyone else as my enemies so I naturally internalized this hatred into self-guilt and shame. If people around me where not the enemy then it must be me – is what my unconscious logic was at that time.
It is deeply ingrained in me up to this day on an unconscious level, as I feel and maybe will always feel like an enemy of a country I was born in. It took me and still takes a lot of energy and effort to battle this obvious lie everyday. I can only imagine how much damage and pain it caused to everyone affected by it.
I clearly see now how evil and dire the whole situation was. Most of our parents – a generation that was brainwashed during cold war by soviet propaganda still lives under the idea of active rivalry between West and East and they will make sure to indoctrinate their own children into the same pit of despair and hatred. Children naturally should be able to trust their parents and teachers, so we were left completely alone to the mercy of russian/soviet propaganda that was acting through our parents/teachers as agents of it. And our parents were not ashamed of branding us traitors for mere interest in seeing both perspectives. And as long as we have russian-speaking schools and education they will get away with it.
I was lucky I started learning English early (thanks to video games for that), so I wasn’t doomed for one sided perspective for long and during my teenage years it opened my eyes on how ugly the whole fetish of soviet union and “Russian World” is. There is a great word for it in Russian – “pobedobesie”, which can be roughly translated to the “Witches’ Sabbath”, which perfectly describes the state of “9th of May” celebration and what happened during bronze riots in Tallinn. It was a mob of angry arrogant people, with no idea of what they were doing – so naturally they had no greater purpose than to loot shops.
Estonians were not the ones trying to steal my future or desecrate my “legacy”, my own parents and teachers were.
Väga huvitavad vastused siin, aga OP postitusajalugu vaadates tundub, et tegu on mingi vene infosõdalasega kellele on antud ülesanne “pri Baltikii” kohta teavet koguda.
Judging by the comments, it’s a rather young crowd here. But here’s my boring story of the events that happened.
I was a student in Tartu at the time. The news about the events unfolding were everywhere. I did receive the SMS from Ansip to not go along with the provocation and to stay calm. Also the news said that there was a country wide ban on booze until the situation gets under control.
But as a student, and in Tartu, Walpurgis night is THE happening every year. No fkin vatniks can hijack the festivities. So I fired up my trusty Golf and took off to Valka, Latvia. Loaded up as much beer as the car suspension could take and drove back to Tartu. At that time, the Schengen thing was not yet fully on, so you had to go through customs. I remember the Estonian border guard looking worriedly into my car and into my trunk and I was almost concerned that I’ll get arrested for the amount. But the only thing that came out of the border guards mouth was “Is there any booze left in Valka for me?”. My recommendation was to aim for Valmiera if he plans to get a buzz in the evening.
So as I remember it, it was business as usual, aside from the alcohol. The police were urging people not to get involved and let them do their job. I think they managed it very well.