Over 50 people were detained overnight in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar in a bid by police to prevent race-hate riots, a local police spokesman said on Thursday.
"More than 50 people were taken to police stations for public order offences," the spokesman said, adding that a number of weapons, including knives, axes and air rifles were seized.
Police were on alert on Wednesday in anticipation of a planned unsanctioned public protest against the death of football fan Yegor Sviridov, 28, in a brawl in Moscow with migrants Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus region last week.
Demonstrators were expected to gather at the city's Kuban stadium, where a wreath laying ceremony was planned in honor of Svirdov. Police also arrested youths who tried to convene in other parts of the city.
"Police clamped down on any attempts to destabilize the situation and provoke a conflict; they prevented fights and mass disturbances of public order," Ilya Shakalov said.
The killing of the fan provoked race-hate riots and attacks on migrants in Moscow and St. Petersburg over the weekend. In Moscow, a 5,000-strong crowd of nationalists and football hooligans clashed with police near Red Square.
Police detained over 1,300 people in the capital on Wednesday amid fears of fresh riot outbreaks.
KRASNODAR, December 16 (RIA Novosti)