Thread by @chambersharold8

Today is the day for large protests in Dagestan. They are planned for Makhachkala & Khasavyurt, starting after Friday prayer, around 15:00 local time (GMT+3). Unplanned protests should be watched for. Whatever happens today will likely dictate how events proceed in the republic.

Day 1 of protests was filled with political violence. The authorities were caught unprepared for protests & unaware of public sentiment

https://twitter.com/chambersharold8/status/1574004437814841344

Day 2 quickly turned into brawls in both Makhachkala & Khasavyurt. The authorities were more prepared & brought in more repressive capabilities

https://twitter.com/chambersharold8/status/1574361260539404288

Day 3 never materialized. The authorities simply closed the central squares, shutting down protest efforts

https://twitter.com/chambersharold8/status/1574725569375256576

Framing for today has focused on the existential threat to Dagestanis: "Save yourself, save your close ones, save your people." "Say no to mobilization!"

https://twitter.com/chambersharold8/status/1575582307980673025

The goal for today: complete end to mobilization in the North Caucasus & the release of those detained during the previous protests

https://twitter.com/chambersharold8/status/1575508631742828544

Can they achieve their goals? Both are unlikely. *This* is Melikov's attitude toward mishandling mobilization & he will exercise as much repression as possible to quite literally arrest any protest momentum.

https://twitter.com/chambersharold8/status/1575514968815976448

HOWEVER, despite the fact that Melikov will unlikely budge, these protests lay the groundwork for an expanded network of anti-government sentiments & resistance. Right now, Melikov is working overtime to protray these protests as a foreign op against him. This is blatantly false

This is bigger than anti-mobilization — this is about opposing Melikov, Putin, & Russian authority. As the latest poster with resistance hero Imam Shamil says, "They died for truth. You died for Putin."