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Alexei Navalny: 'More than 2,000 detained' in protests across Russia Alexei Navalny: 'More than 2,000 detained' in protests across Russia
(about 1 hour later)
Police used batons to break up protests in VladivostokPolice used batons to break up protests in Vladivostok
Russian police have detained more than 2,000 people during nationwide protests in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, monitors say. Russian police have detained more than 2,000 people in a crackdown on protests in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, monitors say.
Tens of thousands of people defied a heavy police presence to join the rallies, a huge show of defiance against President Vladimir Putin. Tens of thousands of people defied a heavy police presence to join some of the largest rallies against President Vladimir Putin in recent years.
In Moscow, riot police were seen beating and dragging away protesters.In Moscow, riot police were seen beating and dragging away protesters.
Mr Navalny, President Putin's most high-profile critic, called for protests after his arrest last weekend. Mr Navalny, President Putin's most high-profile critic, called for protests after his arrest last Sunday.
He was detained on 17 January after he flew back to Moscow from Berlin, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal nerve agent attack in Russia last August. He was detained after he flew back to Moscow from Berlin, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal nerve agent attack in Russia last August.
On his return, he was immediately taken into custody and found guilty of violating parole conditions. He says it is a trumped-up case designed to silence him, and has called on his supporters to protest. On his return, he was immediately taken into custody and found guilty of violating parole conditions. He says it is a trumped-up case designed to silence him.
Prior to the rallies, Russian authorities had promised a tough crackdown, with police saying any unauthorised demonstrations and provocations would be "immediately suppressed". Several of Mr Navalny's close aides, including his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh, were arrested earlier in the week.
Who is Russia's vociferous Putin critic?Who is Russia's vociferous Putin critic?
'Let him go!' - Navalny activists defy bitter cold'Let him go!' - Navalny activists defy bitter cold
OVD Info, an independent NGO that monitors rallies, said more than 2,100 people had been detained during protests, more than 700 of them in Moscow alone. OVD Info, an independent NGO that monitors rallies, said some 2,500 people had been detained, more than 900 of them in Moscow alone. The Kremlin has not commented.
Mr Navalny's wife, Yulia, said she had been detained at a protest and later released. Protester: 'I'm tired of being afraid'
Teenagers were among the many Navalny supporters who joined the demonstration in Moscow's central Pushkin Square. They were later forced by police to disperse to neighbouring streets. The unauthorised demonstrations were held from Russia's Far East and Siberia to Moscow and St Petersburg. Protesters ranged from teenage students to elderly people who demanded Mr Navalny's release.
Russia's interior ministry said 4,000 had turned up in Moscow, but opposition sources and reporters on the ground say it was in the tens of thousands. At least 40,000 people joined a rally in central Moscow, Reuters news agency estimated. Observers say this was the largest protest in the capital since the demonstrations of 2019. But Russia's interior ministry put the number of protesters at 4,000.
Among them was Lyubov Sobol, a prominent aide of Mr Navalny who had already been fined for urging Russians to join the protests. She tweeted a video of police roughly pulling her away from an interview with reporters. Riot police used batons against protesters in Moscow
In the city's Pushkin square, some protesters chanted "Freedom to Navalny" and "Putin go away!" One woman told the BBC she had decided to join the demonstration because "Russia has been turned into a prison camp".
Sergei Radchenko, a 53-year-old protester in Moscow, told Reuters: "I'm tired of being afraid. I haven't just turned up for myself and Navalny, but for my son because there is no future in this country."
Lyubov Sobol, a prominent aide of Mr Navalny who had already been fined for urging Russians to join the protests, tweeted a video of police roughly pulling her away from an interview with reporters.
Момент задержания Любови Соболь pic.twitter.com/8Qr0xjhoDGМомент задержания Любови Соболь pic.twitter.com/8Qr0xjhoDG
Mr Navalny's wife, Yulia, also said she was being held by police at the same protest, posting an image on her Instagram account with the caption: "Apologies for the poor quality. Very bad light in the police van." Mr Navalny's wife, Yulia, was briefly held at the rally. She posted an image on her Instagram account with the caption: "Apologies for the poor quality. Very bad light in the police van."
A post shared by @yulia_navalnayaA post shared by @yulia_navalnaya
Prominent Navalny activists are also being held in the cities of Vladivostok, Novosibirsk and Krasnodar. Meanwhile, one independent news source, Sota, said at least 3,000 people had joined a demonstration in the city of Vladivostok, but local authorities there put the figure at 500.
At the scene - by Steve Rosenberg, Moscow correspondent AFP footage showed riot police running into a crowd, and beating some of the protesters with batons.
Moscow's Pushkin square is packed with anti-government protesters. "Freedom to Navalny" they're chanting, "Putin go away!" In the Siberian city of Yakutsk, attendees at a small protest saw temperatures dip as low as -50C (-58F).
There are long lines of riot police around the square and down Moscow's main street, Tverskaya, less than a mile from the Kremlin. Prior to the rallies, Russian authorities had promised a tough crackdown. Several of Mr Navalny's close aides, including his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh, were arrested earlier in the week.
"This is an illegal gathering" the police are announcing through loudspeakers, "please leave." Alexei Navalny: The basics
There's a cacophony of car horns sounded by drivers passing the square, a show of support for the protesters. Mr Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the most prominent face of Russian opposition to President Vladimir Putin
One driver had hung a pair of underpants out of his car window, a reference to Mr Navalny's poisoning. The Novichok nerve agent had allegedly been applied to Alexei Navalny's underwear. He attempted to stand in the 2018 presidential race, but was barred because of an embezzlement conviction that he says was politically motivated
One woman in the crowd told me she decided to take part in the protest because "Russia has been turned into a prison camp," and to support the country's most prominent opposition figure, who is behind bars. An outspoken blogger, he has millions of Russian followers on social media and managed to get some supporters elected to local councils in Siberia in 2020
Russia's Far East saw some of the first protests on Saturday, with people braving the extreme cold in a show of support for Mr Navalny. Mobile phones and internet disrupted
Attendees at a small protest in the Siberian city of Yakutsk saw temperatures dip as low as -50C (-58F). There were reports of disruption to mobile phone and internet coverage on Saturday, though it is not known if this was related to the protests.
One independent news source, Sota, said at least 3,000 people had joined a demonstration in the city of Vladivostok but local authorities there put the figure at 500.
AFP footage showed riot police in Vladivostok running into a crowd, and beating some of the protesters with batons.
Police started breaking up groups of protesters before the protest began in Moscow's Pushkin Square
Protesters - and police - braved freezing conditions in Yakutsk
Meanwhile, there were reports of disruption to mobile phone and internet coverage in Russia on Saturday - though it is not known if this is related to the protests.
The social media app TikTok had been flooded with videos promoting the demonstrations and sharing viral messages about Mr Navalny.The social media app TikTok had been flooded with videos promoting the demonstrations and sharing viral messages about Mr Navalny.
In response, Russia's official media watchdog, Roskomnadzor, demanded that TikTok take down any information "encouraging minors to act illegally", threatening large fines. In response, Russia's official media watchdog, Roskomnadzor, demanded that TikTok take down any information "encouraging minors to act illegally", threatening large fines. The education ministry had told parents not to allow their children to attend any demonstrations.
Russia's education ministry has also told parents not to allow their children to attend any demonstrations. Protesters ignored extreme cold and threats of arrest in Moscow
In a push to gain support ahead of the protests, Mr Navalny's team released a video about a luxury Black Sea resort that they allege belongs to President Putin - an accusation denied by the Kremlin. In a push to gain support ahead of the protests, Mr Navalny's team released a video about a luxury Black Sea resort that they allege belongs to President Putin - an accusation denied by the Kremlin. The video has been watched by more than 65 million people.
The video has been watched by more than 65m people. The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said the bloc's foreign ministers would discuss the Russian crackdown on Monday, writing on Twitter: "I deplore widespread detentions, disproportionate use of force, cutting down internet and phone connections."