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Tens of thousands rally in Moscow in support of candidates barred from city council election Tens of thousands rally in Moscow in support of candidates barred from city council election
(about 3 hours later)
A massive rally took place in Moscow, with opposition activists occupying one of the capital’s main avenues. The officially sanctioned event followed two unauthorized protests that resulted in scuffles and arrests. The rainy weather didn’t deter crowds of opposition activists from protesting in central Moscow over the upcoming city council vote. The peaceful rally was, however, followed by calls for unauthorized protests, leading to arrests.
Throngs of anti-government activists showed up at Sakharov Avenue on Saturday for the opposition rally, permitted by the mayor’s office. Russia’s interior ministry estimated that over 20,000 people attended the event, while crowd-monitoring NGO White Counter put the number at 49,900. Throngs of protesters armed with umbrellas showed up at Sakharov Avenue on Saturday for an opposition rally that was this time agreed with the city authorities.
Traffic was suspended on the avenue, leaving it temporarily pedestrianized. A security perimeter with metal detectors was also set up to ensure safety, while riot police were positioned nearby. The spacious, heavily guarded venue – usually a busy street – and some celebrity guests ensured a high attendance, even though it also meant tediously long queues at the metal detectors installed by police. Russia’s Interior Ministry estimated that over 20,000 people attended the event at its peak. Meanwhile, crowd-monitoring NGO, White Counter, put the number even higher – at 49,900.
Russian rap musicians Face and Oxxxymiron who encouraged people to take to the streets joined the rally, as they had promised before the demonstration. The rally, which gathered activists from various spectrums of the Russian opposition, centered around two short slogans. One being "Let them run," which referred to the opposition candidates, who were suspended from the Moscow City Council election in September over alleged signature-gathering fraud. The other was "Set them free," a demand to release those arrested for organizing or taking part in unauthorized protests earlier.
Lyubov Sobol, a member of an unregistered party led by Aleksey Navalny, tweeted that she had been detained ahead of the rally. The rain stopped shortly after the rally began, but the weather remained gloomy. Police in riot gear surrounded the gathering, controlling the crowd’s flow, but not interfering despite anti-police slogans at times booming from loudspeakers. Russian national flags and banners of their political groups in their hands, the demonstrators chanted "We are the power here" and "Russia will be free."
The interior ministry claims that "some organizers" of the rally informed them that Sobol and other protesters were preparing provocations. Influential Russian celebrities, who earlier encouraged people to take to the streets, joined the rally as promised. Rapper Oxxxymiron said that he came because "everyone has his own boiling point." He was sporting a t-shirt with the portrait of one the detained activists. The host of the most popular interview channel on Russian YouTube, Yury Dud, was also spotted in the crowd.
Russian opposition groups have held unauthorized, large-scale protests for the past two weekends, after 57 independent candidates were barred from running for seats in Moscow’s 45-member municipal legislature. Local authorities cited irregularities such as fraudulent signatures as the reason for their disqualification. Some influencers got up on stage, including another popular rapper, Face, who performed at the gathering. "I'm a man, who doesn't like when one person rules over another. Frankly speaking, I would've never gone to vote myself. But I'm here today so that my people could have freedom and the right to choose," he said.
Opposition activists – including close allies of anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny – urged followers to take to streets and to storm the city council. Police increased security measures during both protests, which eventually resulted in over 2,300 people being detained. Controversial electronic band, IC3PEAK, and Russian rap veterans, Krovostok, also played their sets at Sakharov Avenue. They went ahead despite city authorities earlier banning live performances at the rally due to them not being agreed in advance. The police didn’t interfere.
While most of them were promptly released, some were charged with provoking mass unrest and for public disturbances. Separately, law enforcement agencies have opened a probe into the alleged laundering of $15 million by an anti-corruption NGO led by Navalny. The rally went on without serious incidents. The live broadcast by RT’s Ruptly video agency showed a smoke bomb thrown into the trash bin, but it was swiftly extinguished.
Just ahead of the rally, news broke that Lyubov Sobol, a member of an unregistered party led by anti-corruption blogger, Aleksey Navalny, was detained after armed police stormed and searched the place used as her headquarters. The Interior Ministry claimed that "some organizers" of the rally informed them that Sobol and other protesters were preparing provocations.
Those concerns seemingly turned out valid as a member of Sobol's team urged the crowd to "take a walk" after the rally. He was detained as soon as he got off stage. The police earlier warned that any marches to take place separate of the protest will be illegal and be met with an appropriate response.
Dozens defied the warning, walking in groups through the city's center while chanting anti-government slogans after the rally ended. Around 300 gathered near the Heroes of Plevna monument not far from the Kremlin.
Police responded with arrests, reporting around 140 detained as of Saturday evening. Footage of detentions showed heavy police presence in central Moscow.
Russian opposition groups have held several unauthorized protests since 57 independent candidates were barred from running for seats in Moscow’s 45-member municipal legislature. Local authorities cited irregularities such as fraudulent signatures as the reason.
Opposition activists – including close allies of Navalny – urged followers to take to streets and to storm the city council. The attempts resulted in strong police response during both protests, which ended up in over 2,300 people detained in total.
While most of the people were promptly released, some were charged with provoking mass unrest and for public disturbances. Separately, law enforcement agencies have opened a probe into the alleged laundering of $15 million by an anti-corruption NGO led by Navalny.
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