The Read-City chain destroys banned books in an industrial shredder. 100 million rubles have already been spent on it The largest chain of bookstores in Russia, Kara-Gorod - Bookbud, has spent in recent years about 100 million rubles on the confiscation and destruction of books prohibited for sale. The head of the network, Alexander Brychkin, told RBC about it. Most of the losses concern the value of confiscated books that cannot be returned to suppliers. Also, the chain, at its own expense, transports them from stores to warehouses and pays for removal. Books are destroyed in an industrial shredder, the process is photographed. "We can't throw these books away. This is toxic waste. Accordingly, they must be evacuated, and this is also at our expense," said Barichkin. The head of the network also complained that complaints about books can arise suddenly, and stores risk punishment even before they have managed to remove publications from sale. The reason for the tests may be, in particular, suspicions of "LGBT propaganda". "This examination always arises suddenly and at the exact moment when this examination arises, we begin to be held accountable. We don't even have a chance to fulfill the requirements of the law," Barichkin added. He suggested notifying sellers in advance of the start of an inspection of specific books, so that stores would have time to prepare for a possible seizure of publications.

The Read-City chain destroys banned books in an industrial shredder. 100 million rubles have already been spent on it The largest chain of bookstores in Russia, Kara-Gorod - Bookbud, has spent in recent years about 100 million rubles on the confiscation and destruction of books prohibited for sale. The head of the network, Alexander Brychkin, told RBC about it. Most of the losses concern the value of confiscated books that cannot be returned to suppliers. Also, the chain, at its own expense, transports them from stores to warehouses and pays for removal. Books are destroyed in an industrial shredder, the process is photographed. "We can't throw these books away. This is toxic waste. Accordingly, they must be evacuated, and this is also at our expense," said Barichkin. The head of the network also complained that complaints about books can arise suddenly, and stores risk punishment even before they have managed to remove publications from sale. The reason for the tests may be, in particular, suspicions of "LGBT propaganda". "This examination always arises suddenly and at the exact moment when this examination arises, we begin to be held accountable. We don't even have a chance to fulfill the requirements of the law," Barichkin added. He suggested notifying sellers in advance of the start of an inspection of specific books, so that stores would have time to prepare for a possible seizure of publications.