Moscow residents are more likely to support the recent wave of opposition protests in Russia's capital than oppose them, according to the independent Levada Center polling agency.
Thousands have taken to the streets of Russia’s capital for the past four weekends in support of the opposition candidates barred from running for the Moscow City Duma on Sept. 8. Despite mass detentions, with footage depicting some police acting violently, opposition leaders have called on supporters to continue protesting each weekend until the election.
According to Levada’s results published by the RBC news website Wednesday, 37% of respondents said they supported the protests while 27% viewed them negatively.
Another 30% of Muscovites felt neutral or indifferent toward the series of demonstrations.
Only 2% of the respondents who support the rallies said they personally took part in the demonstrations. Another 9% said they were open to participating in the future, and 26% said they wouldn’t take part.
The poll reflected widespread awareness of the protests, with 77% of respondents saying they are at least somewhat aware of them.
Levada conducted the survey among 1,500 respondents in the Russian capital on July 26-31.
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