Moscow police have detained about thirty participants of an unsanctioned peaceful protest against Vladimir Putin’s return to presidency, an Interior Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.
Anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny on late Monday announced the beginning of an “ongoing day-and-night folk festivity’ protesting Putin’s return and urged his supporters to gather near a monument to heroes of the 1877-78 Russian-Turkish war near the downtown Kitai-Gorod metro station.
On Monday evening, several hundreds people gathered near the monument. The peaceful campaign continued on Tuesday despite detentions.
“About 30 people have been detained, including people who have been earlier detained and released,” the spokesman said.
Many people gathered on Moscow’s downtown Chistoprudniy Boulevard, ten of them who pinned white ribbons to their clothes were detained.
Several participants of the campaign chipped in and organized distribution of tea and food to the protesters. It-girl Ksenia Sobchak arrived and brought some pastry. Later in the day she was detained along with Navalny.
Protesters sang songs and played the guitar. When it began raining, majority of them remained at the scene; they stretched improvised nylon tents.
In the evening activists moved to Kitai-Gorod subway station which is located nearby. They were followed by a squad of riot police.
Protesters also attempted to gather on Moscow’s downtown Pushkin Square, but police prevented this campaign.
