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| Fourth weekend of protests against city authorities in Moscow, opposition figure detained | Fourth weekend of protests against city authorities in Moscow, opposition figure detained |
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| Opposition activists on Saturday started protest “walks” through central Moscow, protesting over some candidates being excluded from the upcoming council election. Police have detained dozens at the unsanctioned gathering. | |
| One of the first to be detained was Lyubov Sobol, a rejected candidate herself and an ally of opposition figure Aleksey Navalny. She was taken away by police before she could join the protest. Sobol had been warned by city authorities after she dodged arrest following last Saturday’s gathering that ended up in clashes and mass detentions. | |
| At the moment there is a heavy police presence in areas slated for the opposition marches. The number of demonstrators, however, is relatively low, ranging from dozens to several hundred. Rainy weather has probably discouraged some people from showing up. | At the moment there is a heavy police presence in areas slated for the opposition marches. The number of demonstrators, however, is relatively low, ranging from dozens to several hundred. Rainy weather has probably discouraged some people from showing up. |
| Many local businesses have chosen to stay shut, heeding a warning by municipal authorities that if clashes between protesters and police erupt, it could lead to damages and would be unsafe for customers. | Many local businesses have chosen to stay shut, heeding a warning by municipal authorities that if clashes between protesters and police erupt, it could lead to damages and would be unsafe for customers. |
| The request to hold demonstrations this Saturday was rejected earlier this week, with authorities saying the application was submitted too late. Those wishing to protest will be able to do so next weekend, where rallies have been sanctioned on both Saturday and Sunday. | The request to hold demonstrations this Saturday was rejected earlier this week, with authorities saying the application was submitted too late. Those wishing to protest will be able to do so next weekend, where rallies have been sanctioned on both Saturday and Sunday. |
| Opposition forces in Russia seem to have been energized by the outcome of last week’s unsanctioned protest, which led to a stand-off with police, where a large number of protesters were detained. A handful of demonstrators have been charged with crimes like attacking the police or bringing melee weapons to a public gathering. | Opposition forces in Russia seem to have been energized by the outcome of last week’s unsanctioned protest, which led to a stand-off with police, where a large number of protesters were detained. A handful of demonstrators have been charged with crimes like attacking the police or bringing melee weapons to a public gathering. |
| Organizers of the protest, who face fines and detention of 10 to 30 days for breaking Russia’s rules on how mass gatherings can be held, said the police action last week was disproportionately harsh and unjustified and called for doubling down the pressure. | Organizers of the protest, who face fines and detention of 10 to 30 days for breaking Russia’s rules on how mass gatherings can be held, said the police action last week was disproportionately harsh and unjustified and called for doubling down the pressure. |
| Whether the sentiment is shared by the general population in Russia is a different issue altogether. An opinion poll by VTSIOM conducted after the previous rally showed that 61 percent of Muscovites agreed that the police can use “harsh measures” in response to an unsanctioned gathering as long as they stay within the confines of the law. The poll was called a poor indicator of the public mood by supporters of the protest, since they consider the police action illegal. | Whether the sentiment is shared by the general population in Russia is a different issue altogether. An opinion poll by VTSIOM conducted after the previous rally showed that 61 percent of Muscovites agreed that the police can use “harsh measures” in response to an unsanctioned gathering as long as they stay within the confines of the law. The poll was called a poor indicator of the public mood by supporters of the protest, since they consider the police action illegal. |
| The division in attitude to the wave of protests is reflected in what Russian public figures said about it. A number of celebrities voiced their support, saying the authorities did go too far in their response to last Saturday’s protests. Others warned opposition activists against putting their trust in leaders, who are encouraging them to break the law just for the sake of escalation. | The division in attitude to the wave of protests is reflected in what Russian public figures said about it. A number of celebrities voiced their support, saying the authorities did go too far in their response to last Saturday’s protests. Others warned opposition activists against putting their trust in leaders, who are encouraging them to break the law just for the sake of escalation. |
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