Russian rapper jailed for anti-police song

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Kelly Rissman

US News Reporter

One of Russia's most prominent rappers has been jailed for 10 days for disturbing public order by mocking the police during a concert.

Ivan Alexeyev, 25, who is known as Noize MC, taunted policemen as "animals" at Saturday's concert in the southern city of Volgograd.

The trouble started when his drummer approached the audience and invited them to throw coins into a cap. When a police officer asked the band to stop begging, Noize MC performed "Kuri Bambuk", a song he has written about police brutality, which included the lyrics: "Citizen! Halt. Halt. Turn out your pockets, slap, slap. Now your kidneys, kick, kick. Well off you go. Forget it, swallow it, be silent."

He was arrested directly after the concert and on Monday, a court found him guilty of disorderly conduct and sentenced him to 10 days in prison.

The Volgograd police said that Alexeyev had shown a lack of respect for society. "Citizen Alexeyev used foul language to address the policemen providing security at the concert, telling them to bugger off and performed this song for them," a local police spokesman said.

The police added that Alexeyev had acknowledged disturbing public order, but had told the court he was under unusual stress due to the birth of his child the day before the concert.