Hitler's birthday met with fear in Moscow

MOSCOW — A leading Moscow university ordered its foreign students on Thursday to stay in their dormitories for the next three days due to fears of ethnic violence before and after Adolf Hitler's birthday.

The move by Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy underscores the failure of Russian authorities to stem xenophobia and racism that are feeding a marked rise in hate crimes. At least 22 people have been killed and more than 130 injured in apparent hate crimes in Russia this year, according to the Sova human-rights center.

Hundreds of foreigners at the school were told to stock up on food and warned they would not be let out of the dormitories through Saturday.

A Sechenov Academy official said the school was conducting emergency drills, but conceded that one reason for the measure was to protect foreign students from potential violence around the time of Hitler's birthday today.

Skinheads tend to become more violent around the Nazi leader's April 20 birthday, and in the past have appeared in groups, shouted slogans and staged attacks on dark-skinned foreigners and others who do not appear Slavic.

Only physicians in training were being allowed to go out, along with students who signed a statement taking responsibility for their own safety.

In the past, Moscow authorities have also closed some outdoor markets, where many traders are dark-skinned foreigners, for several days before Hitler's birthday to avoid violence.

Rights activists say authorities are doing little to combat growing racism. They say obvious hate crimes are regularly classified as mere hooliganism, some ultranationalist Web sites are allowed to operate and some lawmakers openly support radical nationalist groups or ideas.