Tens of thousands of Russian in more than 60 cities are not afraid of threats and held demonstrations against corruption. More than 500 people were arrested, in particular, the leader of the opposition Alexei Navalny.
“Participants should be prepared for possible consequences,” — said police officials, threatening a fine of 20 thousand rubles, or arrest up to 15 days.
Metro station were closed, the streets blocked and thousands of policemen blocked the road.
However, thousands of Muscovites took to the streets to take part in the largest “illegal” demonstrations in Moscow in 2012.
“Shame! Shame! Corruption destroys our future,” chanted the demonstrators.
Those who dared brandish slogans, were arrested by Riot police, soldiers recently created by Putin of the national guard and taken to the bus stand.
The arrested leader of the opposition
On Sunday, opposition politician Alexey Navalny organized protests in more than 60 cities of Russia.
Previously, he received permission to demonstrate only in 23 cities.
In Moscow, demonstrators were forbidden to pass through the centre.
Nevertheless, several thousand people gathered near the metro station “Belorusskaya” and go along Tverskaya street towards the Kremlin. They were joined by people from the side streets.
The police claimed that there were eight thousand people, but by the correspondent of Aftenposten kilometers-long column of people passed within a half hour.
According to the Moscow police in Moscow have been detained more than 500 people, reports TASS.
Independent TV channel “Rain” reported that arrested at least 600 people.
Navalny was arrested when he approached Pushkin square in Central Moscow, where he had several thousand supporters.
“Hey, I’m all right, — said Navalny on Twitter later. I’m at the police station, and we talk about the film with the police. Keep up the peaceful March, the weather is good”.
Despite the threats, to participate in the demonstration decided a
“Croak, croak, croak!” — shouted the approximately four thousand demonstrators in Yekaterinburg in the Sverdlovsk region, the third largest city of Russia.
They “croaked,” and so no one could accuse them that they shouted political slogans.
Demonstrators took to the new Yeltsin Center, shouting slogans against corruption, Putin and Medvedev.
In St. Petersburg, several thousand people came to the Winter Palace. Currently, according to the newspaper “Fontanka”, is known about the approximately 50 detainees.
In Novosibirsk three or four thousand people held a demonstration in the city center in front of the theatre, shouting slogans.
In Omsk several hundred demonstrators gathered at city musical theatre under the slogan “Against corruption”.
In Vladivostok, the organizer, was detained in his house before the demonstration. The city has killed at least 25 demonstrators.
The requirement to answer the charges of corruption
The current demonstrations are a response to the lack of response to the allegations, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in corruption.
Earlier in March, Navalny published a video showing how the environment Medvedev everywhere in the country disposes of palaces, vineyards and yachts in the ownership of the Prime Minister.
Luxury real estate is under the control of charitable foundations with inventive names such as “Dar” and “Soccerproject”, which received more than 10 billion crowns in the form of gifts from the richest oligarchs in Russia and cheap loans from state banks of Russia.
Mass arrests in Moscow today more large-scale compared to what happened during the “millions March” on Bolotnaya square in may 2012.
AP news Agency calls it the largest coordinated protest in Russia after large demonstrations in 2011-2012, caused by massive election fraud.
The biggest question now is, will the Bulk permission from the Kremlin to stand as a candidate in the presidential election next year.
The previous week, the leader of the opposition were attacked by their opponents, who splashed him in the face Zelenka.
