Holy Backlash: Students Expelled for Dancing Near Church
In Russia, three first-year art students just got booted from Moscow’s prestigious Stroganov University after they dared to — gasp — dance in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The crime? “Violating public order” and “offending religious feelings,” according to the school’s official decree.
The scandal kicked off when the Orthodox radical group Sorok Sorokov dug up a video showing the trio dancing near the cathedral and blasted it online. They didn’t film it themselves — they just found it, clutched their pearls, and demanded authorities open a criminal case. Because in Russia, nothing mobilizes the morality squad faster than young women having fun.
The university caved instantly, expelling the students “by decision of the academic council.” Now, hardliners are calling for prosecutors to go further and slap the girls with charges under Russia’s notorious “offending religious feelings” law — the weapon Kremlin forged after the Pussy Riot trial back in 2012.