What are your thoughts on this /christ/?
Sergei Aksyonov, the leader of Crimea, has forbidden schools on the Russian-annexed peninsula from celebrating Halloween and urged residents to avoid the “disgusting mask show” that seeks to “undermine Russian values”.
Mr Aksyonov portrayed the holiday as a Western conspiracy in comments to Russian media on Wednesday, saying the promotion of “the dark traditions of Halloween are aimed at undermining spiritual and moral values traditional for Russia”, RIA Novosti reported.
“In the last few decades, this ‘holiday’ has spread far beyond English-speaking countries, which is no coincidence. On the one hand, it is undoubtedly a commercial project, and on the other – a means of cultural colonisation,” Mr Aksyonov was cited as saying.
The celebration of evil, he said, could prove to be traumatic for children’s psyches.
“That is why I think that no events tied to Halloween should be held in educational institutions. The Education Ministry of Crimea must speak out with corresponding recommendations,” he said.
Vladimir Bobkov, chairman of the Committee of the State Council of Crimea on Education, Science, Youth and Sports, backed up Mr Aksyonov in criticising the holiday but stopped short of saying it should be prohibited.
“We need to try harder to replace it with something good and positive,” Mr Bobkov told the Crimean News Service, saying foreign holidays should be edged out.
Russia has increasingly experienced a resurgence of patriotic and religious fervor and calls for a return to conservative Orthodox values after the annexation of Crimea in March 2014.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/11962793/Crimea-leader-bans-schools-from-celebrating-Halloween-as-it-undermines-Russian-values.html