Russia's confused experience of Western ways yesterday entered a new phase. Having been subjected to a wave of pornography, evangelism and fast food, Moscow's regular hamburger eaters encountered a new phenomenon: animal rights activists.
The American group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals staged a one-hour demonstration outside the Moscow branch of the McDonald's hamburger chain in Tverskaya Street. Theirs was not an easy task.
The idea of vegetarianism is utterly incomprehensible to most Russians, who have enough trouble finding nutritious food without crossing meat off their shopping lists. Not only is it central to almost every Russian's diet, but in some republics such as Ukraine, thick white slices of salo (pigfat) are considered a traditional delicacy. The fat is eaten with pickled gherkins, peppers and garlic in winter to top up energy levels when fresh food is difficult to find or simply too expensive.
Undaunted, a dozen American protesters, including a man claiming to be a reincarnation of Leo Tolstoy, did what they could to deter aficionados of McDonald's from chewing their "Big Maks", as the offending articles are known here. "Mr Tolstoy", a 16-year-old business student named Vasili, dressed in a 19th-century telogreyka (padded coat) and sporting a fake silver beard, argued with passers-by while holding a placard announcing in English and Russian: "Tolstoy says: forget meat, stay with wheat."
Dan Mathews, the group's organiser in Moscow, brought with him 100 per cent all-American vegiburgers. Unfortunately, most were scooped up immediately by beggar children and were re-sold on street corners within minutes.
The reaction of Russians ranged from puzzlement to sarcasm. Yes, said some, the protesters were wonderful people; yes, vegetarianism is an excellent idea and yes, they would continue to eat meat. Vladimir Sederov, 62, agreed that eating beef may be bad but said it was so difficult to buy good meat that he would continue eating McDonald's gamburgers (there is no "h" in Russian) three times a week. Others were blunter. "I like meat and I am not interested in animal rights," agreed Luba and Sergei Ivanov, a pair of Moscow yuppies.
The teenagers who make their living by jumping the 30-minute McDonald's queue for a 600 rouble tip treated the activists with contempt. Not surprisingly, they did not feel unduly threatened by the potential loss to their livelihood that a wave of vegetarianism might cause.
