Russia cracks down – hard – on protesters
The pro-democracy coalition led by Garry Kasparov lacked a permit, and was overwhelmed by the harsh tactics of state forces.
from the April 16, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 3
"It seems our authorities are paranoid. They fear a [Ukrainian-style] Orange Revolution will break out if they let people express themselves," Mr. Ryzhkov said. "We are peaceful people in the center of our own city, yet we're not allowed to gather or move freely."
About 2,000 Kasparov supporters trying to reach Turgenev Square were similarly dispersed by police. Officially, 170 protesters were arrested, though journalists saw no illegal behavior beyond chanting political slogans – such as "Russia without Putin" and "Down with the Chekist [KGB] State!" – and the occasional taunt directed at police.
A Kasparov aide, Marina Litvinovich, says police detained 600 people, many of whom were quickly released.
On Saturday news programs, Russian state TV channels offered scant mention of the pro-democracy march and no details of police violence, but gave lengthy coverage of a large and festive pro-Putin rally on Moscow's Sparrow Hills. Thousands of members of the Kremlin-sponsored youth movement Nashi had been bused in for the event.
Repeat performance in St. Petersburg
The scene was similar in St. Petersburg on Sunday, where an estimated 3,000 Other Russia protesters were confronted by thousands of police backed by armored vehicles and water cannons. Dozens were arrested. Organizers claimed that many activists were pulled off trains or arrested on their way to the rally. "Police detained me as soon as I left my house this morning," Olga Kurnosova, a Kasparov supporter in St. Petersburg, told Reuters.
Over the weekend President Putin, who has made no comment about the protests, was attending a freestyle wrestling match between American and Russian competitors in St. Petersburg, Russia's NTV network reported Sunday. Among the guests were ex-Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and movie star Jean Claude Van Damme.
"Your kind of sport is very tough, but it is characterized by a sense of nobility and respect for one's opponent," NTV quoted Putin as telling the wrestlers. "It is, of course, a sport for courageous people."
RSS feed
