At least 300 illegal protesters arrested in Russia
About 300 of the 1,500 illegal protesters in central Moscow were arrested.
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Protesters in Moscow on May 5. Photo: RT. |
Police estimated that about 1,500 people had illegally protested in central Moscow. Opposition leader Aleksey Navalny also appeared at the protest and was arrested along with about 300 others for organizing an unauthorized public event, according toRT.In Saint Petersburg, about 200 protesters were also arrested.
Meanwhile, OVD-Info, a non-profit monitoring organization, said more than 1,600 people were arrested by police during the protests, according toWashington Post.
Navalny, who was barred from running for president in March because of a suspended prison sentence, has called for protests across Russia to protest Vladimir Putin's inauguration for a fourth term as president.
Putin won a landslide victory in March's election, extending his rule for another six years, until 2024. He will be Russia's longest-serving leader since Josef Stalin, who ruled the Soviet Union for nearly 30 years. He will take office as president on May 7.
