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It’s the 2nd weekend of protests across Russia, a crucial test for the opposition & its standoff with the Kremlin.
In Vladivostok in the Far East, protesters gather on the ice of the frozen Amur Bay after police blocked off the city center.
In Vladivostok in the Far East, protesters gather on the ice of the frozen Amur Bay after police blocked off the city center.
In Khabarovsk, arrests are already under way. An elderly lady is heard shouting “I won’t go!” as she’s led away by police.
A massive police presence & a week of fines, arrests & harassment seems to have deterred many (videos from Telegram)
A massive police presence & a week of fines, arrests & harassment seems to have deterred many (videos from Telegram)
This is Tomsk in chilly Siberia, where jailed opposition leader Navalny was poisoned in August.
Crowd is chanting “Let him go!”
Crowd is chanting “Let him go!”
Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, where protesters are holding hands and singing in a circle. It’s -30 degrees Celsius.
This is the scene in most major Russian cities today. The center cordoned off by police, and riot vans lined up outside squares. A video from Omsk, Siberia.
Yakutsk is out again. In -43 centigrade
Irkutsk saw a huge crowd last Saturday. Today the arrests are already under way, accompanied by shouts of “Disgrace!” Looks like more police than protesters.
Protest monitor @OvdInfo reports 145 in more than 15 cities so far.
Protest monitor @OvdInfo reports 145 in more than 15 cities so far.
Omsk, Siberia, is chanting “Putin is a thief!”
An impressive turnout amid a huge police presence and the risk of jail-time for protesters.
An impressive turnout amid a huge police presence and the risk of jail-time for protesters.
There are minor clashes in several Russian cities. Here an elderly lady in Irkutsk berates police for “selling their soul” to the state. Reports she was later taken away in an ambulance after collapsing
This is the favored form of protest in Russian cities ringed by police - the khorovod, an ancient Slavic dance accompanied by song. Repurposed for 2021.
Protesters in Novosibirsk also chanting “Putin is a thief!” as they march on the government building.
Reported turnout of 5,000 people would exceed last week’s.
Reported turnout of 5,000 people would exceed last week’s.
The city of Tyumen in Siberia. People chanting “Freedom!”
It’s Russia’s second protest wave demanding the release of opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Instead of concessions, the Kremlin has clamped down.
It’s Russia’s second protest wave demanding the release of opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Instead of concessions, the Kremlin has clamped down.
“Down with the Tsar!”
A big crowd now in Omsk, Siberia
A big crowd now in Omsk, Siberia
This is Chelyabinsk in the Urals, with the now familiar “Putin is a thief!” chant.
There are rough arrests in the city but turnout seems at least as big as last week’s.
There are rough arrests in the city but turnout seems at least as big as last week’s.
In the meantime, central Moscow is packed with police one hour ahead of its planned protest. At least 8 subway stations closed off and several detentions already made. Most opposition leaders are under house arrest or in jail.
This is Nizhny Tagil in the Urals, a city long described as the emblematic Putin stronghold.
Not today. People are marching through the streets chanting “We are the power here!”
Not today. People are marching through the streets chanting “We are the power here!”
Protesters are running from riot police in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city.
Despite a massive crackdown this week & the state’s anti-Navalny propaganda campaign, people are still coming out in their thousands across Russia.
Despite a massive crackdown this week & the state’s anti-Navalny propaganda campaign, people are still coming out in their thousands across Russia.
A photograph symbolic of the mood in Russia today:
A small crowd of protesters in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia stands encircled by at least three times the number of riot police.
A small crowd of protesters in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia stands encircled by at least three times the number of riot police.
Protesters in Yekaterinburg have crossed the frozen city pond to get away from riot police. Reports of at least 5,000 people in Russia’s fourth-largest city.
The scene in central St Petersburg. Police are requiring passports to enter the city’s main Nevsky Avenue, an unprecedented measure. That’s after thousands of protesters blocked it off last week https://twitter.com/tvrain/status/1355788368886583297?s=21 https://twitter.com/tvrain/status/1355788368886583297
Violent clashes now in Chelyabinsk, in the Urals.
It’s half an hour till the start of the Moscow protest, where Navalny and his allies are hoping for a huge turnout. The city saw an estimated 40,000 last Saturday.
It’s half an hour till the start of the Moscow protest, where Navalny and his allies are hoping for a huge turnout. The city saw an estimated 40,000 last Saturday.
Chilling scenes on the streets of Kazan, Tatarstan, where a violent police cleanup is underway and protesters are trying to face down batons and shields.
Protest monitor @OvdInfo reports 420 arrests in more than 25 Russian cities so far.
Protest monitor @OvdInfo reports 420 arrests in more than 25 Russian cities so far.
The famous Winter Palace and Palace Square in St Petersburg are blocked off today by dozens of National Guard trucks ahead of today’s Navalny protest. Similar scenes in Moscow
And this is the scene in another part of St Petersburg.
“Let’s go to work!” shouts a riot police officer.
“You’re not working! You’re beating your own people!” replies a protestor.
“Let’s go to work!” shouts a riot police officer.
“You’re not working! You’re beating your own people!” replies a protestor.
A chilling loudspeaker message to protesters outside the regional government in Tyumen, Siberia:
“We warn you that audio, photo and video files of your actions will be used as evidence in your prosecution.”
“We warn you that audio, photo and video files of your actions will be used as evidence in your prosecution.”
In Petrozavodsk, Karelia, police have commissioned a rickety trolley-bus to arrest protesters. You’d think they’d be better equipped for such a big occasion https://twitter.com/novaya_gazeta/status/1355810630213787653?s=21 https://twitter.com/novaya_gazeta/status/1355810630213787653
A packed riot van in Sochi, south Russia.
“We were just out having a walk,” this detained woman shouts. “This is complete lawlessness!”
“We were just out having a walk,” this detained woman shouts. “This is complete lawlessness!”
Grim video from St Petersburg of an unconscious man being dragged into a police van.
@novaya_gazeta reports that he was beaten by 5 riot police officers during the protest.
@novaya_gazeta reports that he was beaten by 5 riot police officers during the protest.
A bird’s eye view of today’s protest in Novosibirsk, Russia’s third-largest city.
Reports say around 5,000 people came out to denounce corruption & demand the release of opposition leader Navalny.
Reports say around 5,000 people came out to denounce corruption & demand the release of opposition leader Navalny.
This is the center of St Petersburg. Some protesters are charging riot police and throwing snowballs at them. We saw much more of that last Saturday, but it’s only 3pm in the city.
More from St Petersburg, where a mass of National Guard officers is heading for the parliament.
Reporters on the ground in that city say the law enforcement response is particularly brutal, and the police presence enormous
Reporters on the ground in that city say the law enforcement response is particularly brutal, and the police presence enormous
Casual chat between a detained Russian & a riot police officer in Yekaterinburg.
“I was just standing there, not taking part in anything,” says the man.
“Have you tried working? Serving in the army?” asks the cop.
Over 2,100 arrests in Russia so far today.
“I was just standing there, not taking part in anything,” says the man.
“Have you tried working? Serving in the army?” asks the cop.
Over 2,100 arrests in Russia so far today.
Protest tracker @OvdInfo reports almost 2,300 arrests so far in more than 50 Russian cities.
Protesters cowering in the snow in front of baton-wielding riot police in Kazan.
The crackdown across Russia today has been especially brutal - authorities are sending a clear message that dissent will not be tolerated.
The crackdown across Russia today has been especially brutal - authorities are sending a clear message that dissent will not be tolerated.
Volgograd, south Russia.
This is exactly what we saw in Belarus last year: unidentified masked thugs seizing people on the streets. A possible dark turn in Russia.
This is exactly what we saw in Belarus last year: unidentified masked thugs seizing people on the streets. A possible dark turn in Russia.
More #Belarus parallels in Russia:
Crowds in Krasnodar chanting “Get Lukashenko in a police van!”
Lukashenko is the Belarusian dictator who has stamped out protests with brute force. Lots of solidarity between protesters in both countries.
Crowds in Krasnodar chanting “Get Lukashenko in a police van!”
Lukashenko is the Belarusian dictator who has stamped out protests with brute force. Lots of solidarity between protesters in both countries.
With Russia’s second weekend of protests over, it’s very clear authorities have chosen force over waiting for this movement to fizzle out. It’ll be hard for the opposition to keep people turning out in subzero temperatures to face this kind of intimidation
