After announcing restrictions in Moscow ahead of a mass protest which demanded the release of Alexei Navalny, a critic of the current Russian leadership, the police in Russia have detained over 4,400 people across the country.
The protesting rally, which was planned to start from the far eastern city of Vladivostok to Saint Petersburg, had the presence of thousands of people who stood in support for the leader of the opposition. The demonstrations had been previously prohibited by the Russian authorities in addition to the numerous warnings issued against it.
The 44-year-old, who was detained at Moscow’s airport in January, faces possible imprisonment for years while being detained in the state capital’s detention centre.
With huge deployments of Moscow’s police force spread throughout the capital city, the city centre was on a lockdown and metro services suspended.
The protesters, who were divided all over the city due to last moment alterations in the planned locations, were supposed to demonstrate outside the premises of the FSB headquarters.
Over 4,818 people were detained by Russian law enforcement, including 962 at Saint Petersburg and 1,365 in Moscow, across the country according to OVD-Info, and independent monitor of the situation. Over 82 journalists have also been detained.
Protesters chanted “Freedom!” and “Putin is a thief!” as they marched through Moscow, braving bitter cold and snow, reported AFP.
Several hundred protesters eventually gathered outside the Matrosskaya Tishina prison where Navalny is being held. Dozens were detained outside the complex.
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“It’s true we are asking ourselves if these protests will really do any good,” said Nadia, a 21-year-old student. “It will take more for Navalny to be freed. And even more for Russia to be free.”
Police were seen roughly detaining several protesters, including one young man who was left with a bloodied head.
Even with harsh climatic conditions and temperatures going beyond -20 degrees Celsius, reports of protests in Novosibirsk, Siberia.
Russian authorities issued several warnings against participating in the unauthorised rallies and threatened criminal charges against protesters.
