In California, immigrants saved a Russian restaurant from pogroms

A picture from the United States spread on social networks, which shows how the men lined up in front of a bar-restaurant called Pushkin Russia, protecting the place from the rioters. Writes about it EADaily.

Photo: Shutterstock

One of the first photos was posted on Facebook by a Russian from Tallinn, the head of the Antifascist Committee of Estonia Andrei Zarenkov. Under the photograph there is an inscription in English: "The Russian mafia is defending in full force."

“Our compatriot sent a photo published in the American media. The Russians defended their restaurant from defeat, ”signed Zarenkov.

Screenshot: Facebook / Andrey Zarenkov

Users specify that the picture was taken in San Diego (California). Riots in the United States swept almost all states. Marauders beat shop windows and rob shops even in manhattan - In the area that is considered the most prestigious in the United States.

Later correspondent «РИА Новости» Grigory Dubovitsky spoke in more detail about what happened. The well-known Russian restaurant Pushkin in the city could indeed have been among the other looted and burned stores. But it didn’t turn out to be: an international group of immigrants from the Soviet Union managed to defend it with the help of “a good word and a revolver.”

About how 12 Russian-speaking guys were not afraid of the crowd of rioters, said restaurant owner Hayk Gazaryan.

"Russian mafia" from the USSR

The story of the restaurant became known from social networks, where a photograph quickly began to spread in which strong but unarmed white men stood in front of a sign reading “Pushkin Russian Restaurant.” An ironic inscription in English, invented by someone, read: “The Russian mafia is defending itself in full force.” The photo naturally caused many approving comments and likes from both the Russian-speaking audience and Americans.

“When the protests began, at first they said that these were peaceful protests. But then suddenly they started setting fire to banks and buildings, half a block burned down, they simply robbed the rest - bars, restaurants, jewelry stores, from where they took everything. As in Los Angeles and many other cities. When I saw these burnt ruins, I realized that I had to somehow protect myself - the police simply did not have time to respond to calls,” says Hayk.

Ethnic Armenian and a native of Soviet Uzbekistan, 36-year-old Gazaryan emigrated to the United States back in 1998 from Pyatigorsk. But he did not lose touch with immigrants from the former USSR, and together with friends founded the Pushkin restaurant five years ago, which became a favorite meeting place for Russian-speaking residents of San Diego and the surrounding area. The name of the restaurant is not just a tribute to fashion - Hayk admits that Pushkin is still his favorite poet.

Neighbors Protected

“I have many friends who, like me, are more supporters of republican thinking (as opposed to protesters. - Ed.). When I realized on Sunday that something might happen, I called them - and within half an hour they were at the restaurant. A total of 12 people arrived, all with weapons - pistols and shotguns. They have it legally, we know how to handle it. We cannot walk with weapons on the street, but in our own premises for self-defense, of course, we have the right to use them,” says the restaurant owner.

From the very beginning, friends decided that, if necessary, they would defend not only their restaurant, but also neighboring establishments, including a small alcohol shop.

“This store is run by Christian Arabs, immigrants from Iraq. The owner there is such an old man, a wonderful person - we felt sorry for him. They always try to steal alcohol, but what happens in our restaurant? Yes, we also have alcohol, but it’s unlikely that anyone will steal Russian food and Olivier salad,” explains Ghazaryan.

According to him, among the protesters there are many normal people, but there are also many “gangster-looking” people who came from other areas, from the very border with Mexico and “are looking for someone to rob here.” There are also African Americans in San Diego, but the vast majority are white and Hispanic.

“Those who want to rob are well organized, they have walkie-talkies, their own scouts. They are divided into small groups, and then come together and join other protesters. There are those armed with hammers and bats, who smash windows and doors, giving others the opportunity to set fires and loot. On Sunday we hoped that this crowd would pass by, but at some point it suddenly turned towards us. How many were there? Probably more than a thousand people,” Ike recalls.

Cocktail of nations

The chosen defense tactics required restraint and self-control from the men: two with guns remained inside the restaurant behind the windows so that they could be clearly seen, and the remaining ten without weapons stood as a human shield on the street in front of the windows, covering them in case they started throwing stones and bottles. In a video on Ike’s Facebook, he can be heard giving the command to his friends: “Don’t provoke anyone!”

“No one panicked, although the heart was beating. They were coming straight at us, firing firecrackers and setting off fireworks. But they saw that we were protecting our restaurant and neighboring stores. Not many dared to approach, and those who did and saw the guns quickly walked away. Some even praised us for protecting our business, but these are the same people who vandalized a pharmacy a couple of blocks before us. The fact that they smile at me does not reassure me,” says Ghazaryan.

He noted that after the crowd had passed, some looters still tried to break into neighboring stores twice. “We had to go out and drive them away. When they heard the sound of a gun bolt, they ran away like cockroaches,” recalls the restaurant owner.

According to him, on Monday evening the protesters were about a kilometer from the restaurant, so Ike and his friends again decided to stay the night at Pushkin.

“We have here a real “cocktail of nations” or a Soviet international, which the USSR used to be proud of: I am an Armenian, there are Azerbaijanis, Bukharian Jews, Russians, Ukrainians. And everyone is close friends with each other, but they do not discuss political aspects. We are a small representative office, a piece of Russia in San Diego, and we try to support each other,” Ghazaryan said, not without pride.

Perhaps the video itself does not convey the emotions that the defenders of the restaurant felt that day, including the one who was dressed in a frock coat and top hat. But these emotions fully convey Ike’s last words, spoken after the crowd had passed by: “They have protected our property. Pushkin is alive! Pushkin will live!” added correspondent Grigory Dubovitsky in his Facebook account.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• The protest was in memory of George Floyd, an African American from Minneapolis who died after a Minneapolis police officer strangled him with a knee. Officer Derek Chauvin was fired and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter; three other officers also lost their jobs. Protests and riots subsequently eruptedand in Minneapolis and across the country.
• The Minnesota state governor said protests over the death of African-American George Floyd, spanning dozens of US cities, are already not related to murder, but provoked by visiting radicals.
• Protests in Minneapolis sharply intensified in the evening of May 27when city police took action in response to looted and burned shops in the city, as well as fatal shooting at a protest venue.
• May 31 truck drove into a crowd of protesters in Minneapolis (Minnesota). At the wheel of a car was a citizen of the United States, presumably of Ukrainian origin, Bogdan Vechirko.
• About 40 cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, Detroit, and Philadelphia, banned street demonstrations after dark. Texas and Virginia Governors introduced a state of emergency.
• In connection with protests in US cities embassies of Ukraine and Russia asked their citizenslocated in the United States, maintain order and avoid crowds wherever possible and comply with security measures.
• June 1, Donald Trump enacted the law of 1807, allowing him send riot troops in connection with the death of George Floyd.

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