This Sunday, an aggressive group of protesters stormed the international airport. Makhachkala, the capital of the Russian republic of Dagestan, in search of “Jews” precisely after the plane landed from Tel Aviv. Dagestan is a Russian region with a Muslim majority.

The unrest reached the airport runways and passengers on their scheduled flight had to return to the plane due to threats from rioters, Russian media reported and videos posted on social media. The Federal Air Transport Agency confirmed the closure of the airport, and two more flights from Nizhnevartovsk and Moscow were redirected to Vladikavkaz and Mineralnye Vody.

Finally, security forces used crowd control measures to disperse the protest, and the Federal Investigative Committee announced the opening of a criminal case under Article 212 of the Criminal Code for “mass riots with the use of violence.” This article also includes intentional arson, destruction of property, use of firearms, explosives, or armed resistance to government agents and also pogroms.

Red Wings flight WZ 4728 from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport became the target of attackers who searched the passports of some passengers on the plane and people leaving the airport in cars, the Russian Base portal reports. .

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Dagestan government warned that all participants in these riots could be held accountable under Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code for violating the established procedure for organizing demonstrations or rallies. Incitement to mass riots or ethnic hatred will be prosecuted in a similar manner.