My grandma, who was watching Russian news today, says that Kasparov's feathers were ruffled. His jacket was grabbed by some guards and he was pulled away.

Keep in mind that if my statement is innacurate, I heard it second hand from my 80 year old grandmother whose memory and descriptions are sub-par at best.

There's a picture and brief quotes from Kasparov at the folowing link:

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/05/16/kasparovrally.shtml

Kasparov is on the wrong side of history. The Russian people don't want all the assets of the country resting in the hands of this Khodorkhovsky and the 'oligarchy'. He's defending the most corrupt period in Russia's history (and that's saying a lot). Garry has been taking that whole right-wing Wall Street Journal shtick way too seriously.

I don't know if saying someone should have a fair trial is being on the wrong side of anything. Or asking that television stations be kept out of the hands of the state. He knows the oligarchs aren't popular and doesn't defend their Yeltsin-era actions. Certainly if Khodorkovsky should be in jail there are a few dozen of Putin's supporters who should be there with him. This is why the EU commission that investigated the case called it political persecution. And they are certainly far from right wing.

think kasp is on a rocky road here. Laud the man's enthusiasm and commitment, but he wont help anybody being dead. He's playing with some tough boys now.

Chessbase.de has a link to German TV footage where you can see a few seconds of Kasparov being arrested or led away by police:

http://www.tagesschau.de/sendungen/0,1196,SPM7_OIT4346446,00.html

Choose your options ("Breitband" = broadband) and click on "Video starten".

I have to say that my admiration for him has never been greater. Playing wonderful chess is one thing, but standing up against a police state... Wow !

Police state? Get real. Things like this happen all the time. It's not good whether it's in Russia or in Sweden, but nobody called Sweden a police state.

Haha.. Acire you really are deluded if you think Russia compares to Sweden. I am unfortunately not a citizen of Sweden, but I have lived in Stockholm for five wonderful years. Sweden is a paradise on earth, with freedom of speech and expression and general quality of life unparalled in most of the world. Believe you me, I have lived in many places including the US and England. To compare Sweden to Russia... and to think I read your comments

Police brutality is not uncommon at all here, rallies broken up like this etc. Young girls being beaten up or harassed by sadistic policemen, a lot of these things all the time, and they are constantly being protected by a corrupt legal system. But police state? Yes, Russia is far from a perfect democracy, just like all other countries in the world. I don't know how it is more of a police state than Sweden. And I brought up that example because I live here.

haha.. yes i know you live in sweden, but now I see the extent of your delusion. young girls being beaten up and harassed by sadistic policemen in Swden?? ROFL!

I think Kasparov is on the wrong side of the cause. We do not know if it is a fair trial or not. You mean to say even the courts are corrupt in Russia? Anyway fighting for democracy is one thing and fighting for an individual who is on trial of corruption is another thing.

"You mean to say even the courts are corrupt in Russia?"

LOL. Spoken like a hard-core American. Why don't you search yourself for at least some info and then decide whether the trial is fair or not.

Obviously the trial is a joke, independently of whether the three men are guilty or not. Deciding on the latter is incredibly difficult, given that the privatization laws of the time were (are) extremely fuzzy and often self-contradictory. Pretty much any privatization deal can be considered dubious or even illegal. The same goes for charges of tax evasion.

I live in Moscow and have never been to Sweden. But I am sure, nevertheless, that if I am beaten by a cop in Stockholm, I will have a chance of a fair trial and compensation. Here in Russia, I only have a chance of seeing that cop being promoted. Just for a taste of what the police is capable of doing here, check that out:

http://www.humanrightshouse.org/dllvis5.asp?id=3104

Don't just be a "champagne Socialist", be AWARE.

Patria o muerte,

P_w_V

Just as a sidemark, i'm sure courts are squeky clean in america..

Geez, he's not having much good luck. Well, this is only the beginning.

What I can't stand is these people who say Kasparov should quit.

I think the courts are excellent in the USA-JUST ASK OJ SIMPSON!