MOSCOW, July 31 (RIA Novosti) - Police in central Moscow detained almost 50 protesters, including Eduard Limonov, a leader of the Other Russia opposition coalition, over an attempt to hold an unauthorized march on Friday.
"Police detained 47 people over an attempt to hold an unsanctioned protest - a March of Dissent - on Triumfalnaya Square," spokeswoman Zhanna Ozhimina said.
According to eyewitness accounts, about 200 protesters turned out for the march, and there were around 50 reporters.
City Hall had refused to give the Other Russia coalition permission to hold the march, it but decided to go ahead with the event anyway.
When permission to hold the march was denied last week, Limonov said he had been detained by police five times for taking part in dissenters' marches and challenged all fines that had been imposed on him.
Other Russia said it would hold marches on the last day of July, August, October and December.