Liberal Democratic Party Leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky on Tuesday joined the chorus of Russian politicians expressing outrage over the onstage antics of the U.S. rock group Bloodhound Gang, protesting outside the American Embassy in Moscow.
During a 15-minute speech, Zhirinovsky condemned the actions of the band's bassist Jared Hasselhoff, who stuck the Russian flag in his pants during a concert last week in Odessa and earned himself a five-year ban from Ukraine for doing so. Zhirinovsky referred to the stunt as the "wild, disgusting antics of a crazy American musician," RIA Novosti reported.
The party leader's protest, scheduled to coincide with the anniversary of the United States dropping of an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, chronicled a history of American "transgressions" since the end of World War II, beginning with the bomb and ending with Edward Snowden.
? Zhirinovsky and other LDPR figures brought an American flag but neatly folded it up to give to U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul, wishing Americans respect for every country's flag.
The bombastic Zhirinovsky, who claimed that the meteor that fell in Chelyabinsk earlier this year was a U.S. weapons test, also criticized the Russian opposition, calling mayoral candidate Alexei Navalny part of an American "fifth column" in the country.
The LDPR mayoral candidate Mikhail Degtyaryov gave a small speech and also offered a gift, pulling out a pair of stars-and-stripes boxers and instructing the embassy to give them to Hasselhoff.
According to Monday's VTsIOM poll, Degtyaryov has 2 percent support among Muscovites.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.