Police Officers Violent Threats Against Protesting Residents Spark Outrage in Saratov Park

A high-ranking police official in Saratov, a city in southern Russia, allegedly threatened to open fire on residents protesting the construction of a school within a local park.

«In extreme cases, I will shoot you all,» the officer said to the demonstrators, as captured in a video circulated by local media. «There’s a federal law that authorizes me to apply physical force, including the use of firearms.»

Journalists have identified the officer as Lieutenant Colonel Gennady Boltyshev. In the footage, a protester boldly retorts, «Then shoot us.»

The regional office of Russia’s Interior Ministry confirmed the officer’s threat towards the protesters, asserting that police have the authority to use guns if their own safety is compromised. They also advised residents to refrain from participating in unsanctioned gatherings.

The tense situation arose when municipal authorities requested police assistance to remove protesters from the Territory of Childhood park, which local officials intend to transform into a school featuring a swimming pool, as reported by Saratov’s Vzglyad Info.

Governor Roman Busargin of the Saratov region mentioned in March that this park is the only viable location for the school, designed to accommodate 1,100 students. He promised that a portion of the park with historical significance would remain untouched.

On Wednesday, Vzglyad Info released a video showing municipal workers cutting down trees and dismantling playground equipment.