Anatoly Maltsev/European Pressphoto Agency
Protesters clashed with riot police in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Posted on 03/04/2007 8:22:15 PM PST by neverdem
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, March 3 — An unusually large and unruly protest against the government of President Vladimir V. Putin ended here Saturday in clashes with the police and the arrest of opposition leaders. Rally organizers and the police said more than 100 people were arrested after a midafternoon scuffle between marchers and riot police on the main street, Nevsky Prospekt, in the heart of the city’s tourist district. St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, is Mr. Putin’s hometown.
The rally was held in advance of local elections scheduled for March 11. Opposition events typically draw no more than several hundred people, but several thousand gathered for the rally in Vosstaniya Square.
Two leaders of what is left of Russia’s liberal opposition, Garry Kasparov, the former chess champion, and Mikhail A. Kasyanov, a former prime minister, spoke to the crowd. Then the protesters, accompanied by Mr. Kasparov, marched most of the length of the street, pushing through three police cordons as sirens wailed and Interior Ministry riot police scrambled to block their path.
The rally marked one of the higher-profile actions by Mr. Kasparov since he retired from professional chess to dedicate himself to opposition politics.
“This is our first real victory,” Mr. Kasparov, speaking over a bullhorn, told the crowd on the muddy street, surrounded by rows of police. “I congratulate you for overcoming your fear. We will have victory when we get our Russia back. We have 364 days before the election in 2008.”
Minutes after Mr. Kasparov spoke and left the area, the police broke up the crowd, first arresting the speaker who had taken Mr. Kasparov’s place.
Mr. Kasparov had handed the bullhorn to Sergey V. Gulayev, a member of an opposition faction in the local legislature in St. Petersburg.
“The government is afraid of the slightest...”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
National Bolshevik Party flag:
LOL!
All the prisoners will get a nice bowl of polonium laced borscht tonight. Compliments of the Kremlin.
I've read quiet a few of Mr. Kasparov's editorials and am most impressed. I hope they have a chance but it seems unlikely on the face of it.
NBP has been renounced by just about everybody in Russia, including the mainstream communists of the KPRF and KPSU (KPRF offshoot)
Hmmmmmm. Democracy under Comrade Putin....Joseph Stalin with a makeover and image team.
Overkill (New York Times defends Zumbo, Attacks FreeRepublic in Editorial)
GALLUP: Is Al Gore Boom for President Just Hype?
Against Submission (review of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's "INFIDEL")
From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.
Actually the demonstrators are wishing to recover the old regime. One of the signs at the protest was a Happy Birthday 1937---those great days of Stalin - wish he were back.
And one of the lead protestors is the hubby of a full blown Marxist.
Thanks for the ping!
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