Refuge from Russia: Protest Crackdowns in Rostov-on-Don and a LaGuardia Runway Incident

In this episode of Refuge from Russia, Tami covers two stories about public safety and accountability.In Rostov-on-Don, activist Evgeny Makovoz reportedly filed a request for a rally against internet blocks and later was visited by security officers executing a search warrant. Reports say he was beaten, suffered a concussion, and his whereabouts remain unknown. The episode also looks at broader restrictions on dissent, with many anti-blocking protest applications reportedly rejected across multiple regions.Then the focus shifts to New York, where an Air Canada plane collided with a vehicle on the runway at LaGuardia Airport after landing. While early reports suggest no major disaster, the incident raises serious questions about airport safety and ground operations.This episode examines protest rights, internet freedom, and transportation safety.

Transcript

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Welcome to Refuge from Russia. I'm Tammy, and today we're looking at two very different stories that both say a lot about public safety and public accountability. First, in Rostov on Dawn, a local activist named Evgeny Makovoz filed a request for a rally against internet blocks. If that sounds familiar to Americans, think about trying to organize a First Amendment protest in your hometown and getting total silence from City Hall. In this case, he never got a response. Instead, nine security officers showed up at his home with a search warrant. According to reports from people close to him, none of them identified themselves. They took his equipment, beat him, and he reportedly suffered a concussion. His whereabouts are still unknown, and it's still unclear what case this search was even connected to. This matters because internet freedom isn't just a tech issue in Russia. It's about access to news, messaging, and online. The broader picture is just as striking. Activists say applications for anti-blocking protests were filed in 28 cities across 17 regions, but 20 were rejected. Only four were approved. Now we shift. At McGuardia Airport, an Air Canada plane provided with the airports and according to the associate. The good news is that early reports suggest this is an airport incident for any major disaster. But any runway clear is serious and raises immediate questions about airport safety and ground operations. So that's the day's news, crackdowns on protest, and a runway incident in New York. That's all for today's recording. I'm Tammy and I'll see you next time.