Russian protestors denounce racism

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- More than 500 demonstrators have protested racist attacks in Russia's second largest city, the Moscow Times reported Monday.

The demonstrators in St. Petersburg chanted, "Shame, shame!" at a weekend rally to decry what they called city authorities' indifference toward racism, the newspaper said. At the rally Russia's human rights ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, warned that quick action was needed to deal with racial intolerance, it said.

City and police officials invited to address protesters' concerns at the rally failed to show up, but sent a policeman with a digital camera to film the protesters, the Moscow Times said.

"We don't pay enough attention to the education of our people," Lukin told the rally Sunday in Sakharov Square. "The authorities don't pay enough attention to this issue. But it looks like a small avalanche is being formed that could snowball and destroy the government itself if it doesn't deal with the problem."