There are anti-Putin protests going on in Russia. “
Tens of thousands of Russians took to the streets in protest on Saturday to demand the release of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, braving the threat of mass arrests in what were some of the largest demonstrations against the Kremlin in years.” —
NPR
During covid lockdown this year my husband made some Russian friends. They sent him reports on attending protests against Putin.
Says husband:
A friend was just released moments ago from the police in Rostov-on-Don after yesterday’s demonstrations in support of opposition leader (and victim of Putin’s attempted poisoning) Navalny.
Yesterday, he wrote: “the street along which the rally was going was blocked by the police, [the protesters] started throwing snowballs at them from the back rows, and this is already aggression and the police began to act aggressively, I was in the forefront and the whole blow fell on me and others, they beat me very badly with truncheons, dislocated my shoulder and took to the police station”
Today he wrote: “I was tortured for half a night, forced to sign papers that would testify to my participation in the rally and other violations that would put me in jail.... they twisted my hands and fingers and beat me with soap in a towel so that bruises would not remain on my body. It was terrible.”
Another friend in St. Petersburg wrote:
“We went out for a walk. Large-scale rallies are held in the city center all day because of the detention of Navalny and it was dangerous to be there because they could be taken to the police even if you were passing by”
A third friend in St. Petersburg wrote: “I'm not just being held here, we're being fucked with rubber sticks, the police are beating people up!!!”
A fourth friend in St Petersburg wrote: “I’m okay, I’m going home. The police beat us. I’m sitting in a Burger King, so I want to eat hellishly, my whole body hurts. Tired. My voice tore off, bruised my hand when I ran away from the police, hit the car. I’m very proud of the people.” Then later: “I’m a little beaten, tired, with a sore throat, dirty, no money now, but happy to go to bed. Good dreams! :)”
Just wanted Kossacks to know that people in Russia are in the streets!