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| Pussy Riot park their tank on Putin's lawn at Glastonbury | Pussy Riot park their tank on Putin's lawn at Glastonbury |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pussy Riot proved that revolution is still alive at Glastonbury as they kicked off the live performances on Friday with an explosive political statement. | Pussy Riot proved that revolution is still alive at Glastonbury as they kicked off the live performances on Friday with an explosive political statement. |
| The Russian feminist punk activists Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina began their midday appearance at the Park stage with a brazen “fuck you” to Russian President Vladimir Putin. | The Russian feminist punk activists Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina began their midday appearance at the Park stage with a brazen “fuck you” to Russian President Vladimir Putin. |
| As the first drizzle began to fall on the crowds, a large Russian military truck drove up in front of the stage, before a man dressed in combat gear climbed on top and declared the founding of the “Glastonbury people’s republic”. | As the first drizzle began to fall on the crowds, a large Russian military truck drove up in front of the stage, before a man dressed in combat gear climbed on top and declared the founding of the “Glastonbury people’s republic”. |
| Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina, who have both been imprisoned by the Russian government for political protest, then jumped on to the truck and shouted “fuck you with your fucking guns”, wrestled a rainbow-coloured balaclava over the soldier’s head, pushed him to his knees and bound him with tape. | Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina, who have both been imprisoned by the Russian government for political protest, then jumped on to the truck and shouted “fuck you with your fucking guns”, wrestled a rainbow-coloured balaclava over the soldier’s head, pushed him to his knees and bound him with tape. |
| The pair were also joined on top of the truck by the singer and political activist Charlotte Church, who introduced Pussy Riot as an “inspiration for a generation”. | |
| “Can I join the revolution too?” said Church. “I want to be in Pussy Riot.” The self-styled “prosecco socialist” then interviewed the pair. | “Can I join the revolution too?” said Church. “I want to be in Pussy Riot.” The self-styled “prosecco socialist” then interviewed the pair. |
| Addressing the large crowd, Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina stated the 10 rules of Pussy Riot, which included principles such as “start your new day with a cup of coffee and a good riot”, “think different, think feminist” and “stay queer”. | |
| “I’m standing on the military vehicle of my country because I believe that we – me and you, the people – have to take back arms from our government,” said Tolokonnikova. | “I’m standing on the military vehicle of my country because I believe that we – me and you, the people – have to take back arms from our government,” said Tolokonnikova. |
| Alyokhina chipped in, describing Putin as an “insane quasi-superhero half-naked riding on a horse”. | Alyokhina chipped in, describing Putin as an “insane quasi-superhero half-naked riding on a horse”. |
| “I have to officially warn you before our event – and it’s not a joke – that feminist punk really can drive you crazy, but it’s worth it,” she said. “Do not resist it. And you have to sign an official agreement that if you will become crazy because of feminist punk, you will not go to court against us.” | “I have to officially warn you before our event – and it’s not a joke – that feminist punk really can drive you crazy, but it’s worth it,” she said. “Do not resist it. And you have to sign an official agreement that if you will become crazy because of feminist punk, you will not go to court against us.” |
| Friday also marked the beginning of the traditional Glastonbury downpour, and by the afternoon all shorts and suncream had been abandoned in favour of wellies and raincoats. While the Met Office forecasts the sun will return on Saturday, Sunday is set to be a bleak combination of cloud and more heavy rain. | |
| The first of the festival’s surprise acts this year was The Charlatans, who kicked things off on the Other stage. However, one of the quirkier additions to this year’s line-up was forced to pull out on Friday. The world’s most famous astrophysicist, Stephen Hawking, had been scheduled to appear at the Kidzfield over the weekend but will no longer be appearing. | |
| Kidzfield’s founder, Tony Cordy, would not reveal why Hawking had pulled out but said he was disappointed. “He really wanted to be here,” Cordy said. “Like all the other adults, he wanted to rediscover his inner child and as the motto goes it’s never too late to live a happy childhood – or enable someone else’s.” |