Posted on 01/31/2021 12:19:09 PM PST by USA Conservative
Chanting slogans against President Vladimir Putin, tens of thousands took to the streets Sunday across Russia to demand the release of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, keeping up nationwide protests that have rattled the Kremlin. More than 4,700 people were detained by police, according to a monitoring group, and some were beaten.
Russian authorities mounted a massive effort to stem the tide of demonstrations after tens of thousands rallied across the country last weekend in the largest, most widespread show of discontent that Russia had seen in years. Despite threats of jail terms, warnings to social media groups, and tight police cordons, the protests again engulfed cities across Russia’s 11 time zones on Sunday.
In Moscow police closed metro stations and blocked off the city center.
Mr. Navalny was jailed on his return to Russia after recovering from an attempt to kill him with a nerve agent.
He blames the security services for the attack but the Kremlin denies this.
The opposition figure had only just arrived from Berlin, where he spent months recovering from the near-fatal incident.
In Moscow the BBC‘s Sarah Rainsford says protesters played cat-and-mouse with police, getting up close to officers before retreating to safety. Police snatch squads pulled some protesters through the lines of riot shields. Footage showed a stream of people being escorted on to buses by riot police.
Videos below:
But the highlights of the protest came a few moments ago when “Batman” was arrested.
Photo below:
The days ahead of Sunday’s protests were marked by an intensifying crackdown against Navalny’s allies and family members, with his brother Oleg and lawyer Lyubov Sobol placed under pre-trial house arrest on charges of violating coronavirus restrictions by calling people to join protests. Authorities also issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Leonid Volkov, a top Navalny aide based in Lithuania, as part of a criminal case on inciting minors to attend unauthorized protests.
Terrible to see that pack of cops literally dragging that guy down a snow covered street. You would think he had entered a store without a Mask or threatened to kill somebody.
Putin vs Soros Stooges, who to root for.
Russia has almost no experience with democracy. Boris Yeltsin was a drunk. Vladimir Putin is a thug. But they’re willing to try, despite their lack of experience. We, by which I mean both here in Israel and in the United States where you all are, as well as England, Canada, or wherever, have no excuses.
The forces of evil are gathering, shutting down free speech, free elections, and even free markets now. We have no excuses. Whatever must be done, we must do it.
Where’s Robin and Batgirl and Bat-Mite?
What is the size of the police force and holding cells that they can capture and detain 4700 people? We have trouble capturing a mere dozen people looting a store.
That could have been plagiarized from almost any American newspaper that described recent events here...
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