In Photos: Navalny Protests Sweep Moscow Despite Crackdown
Thousands of Muscovites protested in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny for a second weekend despite an unprecedented crackdown against the opposition in the days prior and a lockdown imposed by the authorities across central Moscow.
Unable to gather at the planned protest point in front of the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters, protesters split up into groups and rallied at several points, including outside the Matrosskaya Tishina prison where Navalny is being held.
Throughout their journey, demonstrators were chased by hundreds of riot police in a cat-and-mouse game. By the end of the day, more than 1,500 people in the capital would be detained as the police cracked down on peaceful protesters.
Here’s a look at photos from throughout the day that were first published by MT’s partner site VTimes:
Unable to gather at the planned protest point in front of the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters, protesters split up into groups and rallied at several points, including outside the Matrosskaya Tishina prison where Navalny is being held.
Throughout their journey, demonstrators were chased by hundreds of riot police in a cat-and-mouse game. By the end of the day, more than 1,500 people in the capital would be detained as the police cracked down on peaceful protesters.
Here’s a look at photos from throughout the day that were first published by MT’s partner site VTimes:
Protesters marched from the Sukharevskaya and Krasnye Vorota metro stations to Matrosskaya Tishina after police cordoned off much of central Moscow.
Grigoriy Pokras for VTimes
The journey took approximately three hours. Many passing cars honked in support of the protesters.
Grigoriy Pokras for VTimes
Throughout the march, crowds would run en masse from approaching riot police.
Grigoriy Pokras for VTimes
Police grabbed protesters and forced them into police vehicles, often using harsh tactics. Eyewitnesses reported that some police used tasers on protesters.
Grigoriy Pokras for VTimes
At least 12 journalists were detained in Moscow on Sunday.
Grigoriy Pokras for VTimes
Many protesters carried toilet brushes in reference to the $700 toilet brushes described in Navalny's viral investigation into President Vladimir Putin's alleged palace.
Grigoriy Pokras for VTimes
Independent police-monitoring website OVD-Info said at least 1,800 people were detained in Moscow out of over 5,200 detentions nationwide.
Grigoriy Pokras for VTimes
"This too shall pass," says an abandoned protest sign.
Grigoriy Pokras for VTimes
