Damage to a banner dedicated to Imam Shamil in Makhachkala resulted in demands for an apology.

Makhachkala authorities announced the restoration of a banner depicting Imam Shamil damaged by an unknown person. Telegram channel authors demanded that the culprit be found, forced to apologize, and held accountable.

The newspaper "Chernovik" published information about unknown individuals tearing down a banner depicting Imam Shamil. "Vandals tore down a portrait of Imam Shamil on the avenue of the same name in Makhachkala. According to eyewitnesses, someone shouted that it was haram, tore up the banner with the portrait, and threw stones at the bas-relief of the Imam," the publication dated November 26 stated.

Makhachkala authorities reported on the evening of November 26 that the poster would be restored.

"CCTV cameras will be installed at the site soon, and the damaged banner will be restored. All work is planned to be completed tomorrow," the mayor's office reported on its Telegram channel.

State Duma deputy Saigidpasha Umakhanov responded to the incident. "Such actions cannot go unanswered. They are aimed at desecrating our historical memory and spiritual heritage, provoking justifiable public outrage. Imam Shamil is a symbol of courage, fortitude, and spiritual strength not only for Dagestan but for the entire Caucasus. Any attempt to disrespect his name is absolutely unacceptable. I urge law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to promptly identify and apprehend those responsible. They must receive the punishment they deserve," he wrote on his Telegram channel, which has over 125,000 subscribers, on November 25. The post received 15 comments. "Those responsible must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," agreed Magomedamin Akaev.

"We sincerely believe that the perpetrators will be punished," wrote a user with the nickname language.

These people must be urgently found and publicly forced to apologize.

Chankalaev News Telegram channel author Bulach Chankalaev demanded that those responsible apologize. "These people must be urgently found and publicly forced to apologize. Please do everything possible to find them. This is complete lawlessness," he wrote on November 25. Comments and reactions are disabled in the channel.

The Telegram channel "Conscience of Dagestan" made a similar call. "Catch him, flog him, force him to reinstate him, and jail him for provocation for a long time," reads a post from November 25, which garnered 10 likes.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that a man interfered with a children's street party and expressed his opinion that the music the children were dancing to was unacceptable. On June 7, a video of a resident's apology was released. He attributed his actions to emotional instability. In Chechnya itself, according to a report by the international crisis group "Chechnya: The Inner Abroad," such apologies are often the result of pressure and threats. How this practice is spreading to other regions of Russia can be found in the "Caucasian Knot" report "The Fashion for Apologies: From Chechnya to the Outskirts".

The "Caucasian Knot" posts materials about the practice of public repentance on its thematic page "Whom the Caucasus Forces to Apologize".