More than 1,000 anti-war protesters in Russia furious at their country’s invasion of Ukraine have been detained by police in 47 cities, it is reported.
Footage from Moscow shows crowds of demonstrators frantically running down a street this evening after officers moved in to break up the masses.
Members of the protest were heard shouting ‘fascist’ as police made arrests, according to a tweet from Insider paper.
Photos from the scene show armed police officers forcibly removing protesters from the nighttime Moscow streets.
More than 1,000 Russians have been detained in cities across the country today for protesting against the war, Reuters, citing independent monitor OVD-Info, reports.
BREAKING: Russian police starts detaining participants of anti war protests in Moscow. People were heard chanting "Facists"pic.twitter.com/qBEc3Rx5BB
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) February 24, 2022
Police-monitoring website OVD-Info earlier reported hundreds of detentions in Moscow, St. Petersburg and over 40 other Russians cities for staging anti-war pickets.
Prominent rights activist Marina Litvinovich called on Russians to attend a march against the war at 7 pm Moscow time, including on Pushkin Square in central Moscow
“I know that many of you right now feel desperate, powerless, and ashamed over the attack by [President] Vladimir Putin on the friendly people of Ukraine,” she said in a Facebook video.
“But I call on you not to be desperate and come out to the central squares of your cities at 7 p.m. today and clearly and explicitly say that we, the people of Russia, are against the war unleashed by Putin.”
A short while later authorities detained Litvinovich outside her home, the independent Dozhd broadcaster reported.
Earlier today Russian authorities warned anti-war sympathizers against gathering for protests.
The Investigative Committee, a government body that investigates major crimes, said that Russians faced legal repercussions for joining unsanctioned protests.
“One should be aware of the negative legal consequences of these actions in the form of prosecution up to criminal liability,” it said, adding that it would take “all necessary measures to ensure public order.”
Russia has strict protest laws and demonstrations often end in mass arrests, with solo pickets the only real means by which people can protest in public.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was poisoned last year and is currently in prison, said he was against the invasion in a speech during his trial, held behind bars.
“I am against this war,” Navalny was heard saying in a video published by independent news outlet Dozhd.
“This war between Russia and Ukraine was unleashed to cover up the theft from Russian citizens and divert their attention from problems that exist inside the country.”
Source: Mirror
