Russians Picket US Consulate Over Interference in Syria

ST. PETERSBURG- Nearly two dozen Russians picketed outside the US Consulate in St. Petersburg on Monday to show outrage at Washington’s interference in the crisis in Syria crisis.

According to RIA NOVOSTI ,the demonstrators denounced, as a “planned provocation,” US allegations that the Syrian government had used “chemical weapons” against civilians, a claim that the United States is considering as justification for launching an American military attack in Syria.

The protestors’ denunciation echoed one made by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday that the US allegations amounted to a “provocation” to drag other countries into the conflict.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that the evidence the United States had presented to Russia regarding Syrian government forces’ alleged use of chemical weapons was inconclusive.

The demonstrators outside the US Consulate held up signs saying, “Hands Off Syria” and “Syria: Destruction the American Way.” They dubbed their sanctioned protest “US – Laboratory of Death.”

“The US teaches the principles of freedom of speech and democracy to the whole world, but ignores them itself. This is the opinion of Russian society,” one protestor said.

M.D