A mob looking for Israelis and Jews overran an airport in Russia's Caucasus republic of Dagestan on Sunday, October 29, after rumors spread that a flight was arriving from Israel. The violence in the mostly Muslim region, which erupted amid the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, prompted Israel to call on Russia to protect its citizens.
Dozens of protesters, many of them chanting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) broke through doors and barriers, with some running onto the runway, according to videos posted on social media and Russia's RT and Izvestia media. Shortly afterward, Russia's aviation agency Rosaviatsiya announced that it had closed the airport to incoming and outgoing flights and that security forces had arrived on site. "The situation is under control," local authorities said on Telegram.
A statement from the republic's health ministry said there had been injuries, but did not elaborate on how many or who had been hurt. Late on Sunday Rosaviatsiya announced that the airport had been "freed" from the mob and would remain closed until November 6.
Several local Telegram channels showed photos and videos of dozens of men waiting outside the airport to stop cars.
One protester could be seen in the videos holding a sign reading "Child killers have no place in Dagestan". Other videos showed a crowd inside an airport terminal trying to break down doors as staff members tried to deter them.
A statement Sunday evening from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said: "Israel expects the Russian authorities to protect all Israeli citizens and all Jews, and to act decisively against the rioters and against incitement to violence against Jews and Israelis."
Earlier Sunday, Akhmed Dudayev, the minister of information in Dagestan's neighbor Chechnya, warned on Telegram against "provocations" and called for calm in the face of rising tensions in the Caucasus.
The Dagestan government posted on Telegram appealing to those involved to stop their "illegal acts" despite their anger over the "inhumane massacre of a civilian population – the Palestinian people. "At the same time, we urge residents of the republic not to succumb to provocations of destructive groups and not to create panic in society."
Later Sunday, Sergei Melikov, the republic's governor, posted on Telegram, saying: "All Dagestanis empathize with the suffering of victims by the actions of unrighteous people and politicians and pray for peace in Palestine. "But what happened at our airport is outrageous and should receive the appropriate assessment from law enforcement. This will be done."