The Boulevard Press Discovers a New Crime

Early in 1901 a series of articles appeared in Peterburgskii listok bemoaning the recent and widespread disruption of peaceful street life. Lower-class boys and young men, referred to as gangs of “hooligans,” were appearing on formerly tranquil streets and behaving rudely, sometimes threateningly. The earliest reports complained about groups of rowdy youths obstructing sidewalks, annoying passersby, shouting obscenities in the presence of ladies, whistling and singing loudly on the street, demanding money, and throwing rocks. Although the offenses were not new, they attracted attention because they were occurring with greater frequency and because they exhibited behavior that seemed unusual to