Mass arrests at Moscow race rally

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More than 100 people have been detained at an unsanctioned Moscow rally staged by a nationalist group, officials say.

The Movement Against Illegal Immigration demonstrated on Thursday against the "criminal activities" of migrants from the Caucasus.

Russia has recently seen an upsurge in ethnically motivated assaults.

Riots erupted earlier this month after two ethnic Russians were killed in a brawl with Chechens in the northern town of Kondopoga.

Last week, one person was killed and several more injured in fighting between local residents of the central Russian town of Volsk and ethnic Armenians, Russian news agencies reported.

Demands

In Moscow, police said they broke up the unsanctioned demonstration. Some of those detained were later released.

About 500 people took part in the rally, the Movement Against Illegal Immigration said.

The group said it staged the demonstration to protest against the "criminal activities of migrants from the Caucasus in universities and dormitories".

Organisers said they acted after an ethnic Russian was killed following an alleged brawl with migrants from the Caucasus near a Moscow dormitory last week.

The group also said it adopted a resolution calling for the Moscow authorities to cancel privileges and abolish quotas for non-Russian students studying in Russian universities.

The group said students from more than 20 Moscow universities had supported the resolution.

Russia has been plagued by ethnically motivated attacks in recent months.

The perpetrators are often gangs of skinheads, their actions inspired by white supremacist websites preaching messages of hatred.

Many members of Caucasus ethnic minorities and foreigners say they are nervous about going out into the streets or underground railways.

Rights groups have accused authorities of doing little or nothing to combat racial violence and xenophobia.