Images mixed by Tetyana Lokot.
An unlikely event occurred in Moscow last week, when police chased a towing truck hauling a bright yellow minivan through the Red Square in the heart of the capital.
The car chase drew many spectators, not in the least because no cars, motorbikes, or bicycles are allowed on the Red Square. And where there are spectators with smartphones, there are always photos.
На Красную площадь прорвался эвакуатор с микроавтобусом — фоторепортаж: http://t.co/FSVX2XadQX pic.twitter.com/7fZHBf2RTT
— События дня (@GazetaRu) February 25, 2015
A towing truck with a minivan broke through to the Red Square—photo report:
The story only got weirder from there, as it turned out the towing truck was hijacked by the indignant owner of the very minivan it was attempting to tow. Reportedly, the man attacked the towing truck's driver and them drove off.
Хозяин машины, помещенной на эвакуатор, сам отобрал эвакуатор и выехал на нем на Красную площадь pic.twitter.com/4lMbi9J1Hw
— RIP Новости (@riarip) February 25, 2015
“The owner of the minivan that was on the towing truck hijacked the truck himself and drove into the Red Square.
Some Twitter users noted the color scheme of the two cars was reminiscent of the Ukrainian flag and drew immediate parallels with the ongoing confrontation between Ukraine and Russia.
Эвакуатор цветов украинского флага устроил протестное катание перед носом Путла по Красной площади pic.twitter.com/2MLLcKhRka
— Європейський вибір (@European_choice) February 25, 2015
“A towing truck in Ukrainian colors staged a protest ride under Putlo's [Putin's] nose in the Red Square.”
Police pursued the hijacker, but he led them on quite a merry chase before they managed to stop him. Because the Red Square is one of the most popular tourist locations not only in Moscow, but in all of Russia, the event was also caught on video.
Полиция и эвакуатор устроили погоню на Красной площади: http://t.co/paEuXNA7Z3
— Djigit of the USSR (@Djigit_USSR) February 25, 2015
Police and a towing truck in hot pursuit in the Red Square:
The ban on access to the Red Square for motorized vehicles has been in place since 1963, when it was instituted in order to preserve the pedestrian area for the hordes of tourists admiring the views. Apparently, though, the ban does little to prevent daredevils like the towing truck hijacker from driving right through the heart of downtown Moscow—and going viral on social media while doing so.
This post is part of RuNet Echo, a Global Voices project to interpret the Russian language internet. All Posts · Read more »
