Russian police detained four Haredi Jews—one Israeli, two Americans and one Russian—in St. Petersburg on suspicion of "hooliganism." The group, aged 19 to 29, was arrested after dancing and taking photos near the Federal Security Service (FSB) building on Liteyny Avenue, the successor to the Soviet KGB.
Russian police told the TASS news agency the four had come from the city’s Grand Choral Synagogue when they engaged in what authorities described as disruptive behavior outside the FSB headquarters.
The Jewish community in Russia reported that the group was initially held without charge but was released following community intervention. However, local police said the four remain in custody.
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The FSB, Russia’s primary agency for internal security, counterintelligence and counterterrorism, wields extensive powers, including arrests, investigations and oversight of borders, communications and organized crime.
Established in 1995, it reports directly to the president and plays a central role in maintaining Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime, often criticized for suppressing political freedoms.