Russia: Hundreds protest across Russia Oct. 7 /update 1

Event

According to media reports, hundreds of opposition supporters are participating in demonstrations against President Vladimir Putin across the country on Saturday, October 7. The most significant protests are taking place in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In St. Petersburg, riot police were deployed to halt marchers moving through the streets on Nevsky Avenue and Liteney Prospect. According to social media reports, at least six people have been detained by the police. Traffic around the demonstration has been blocked and a police barricade has been erected on Liteney Prospect.

In Moscow, demonstrators gathered in Pushkin Square. Some participants reportedly attempted to march towards the Kremlin but were blocked by the police. Local media sources said that around six people were also detained by security forces in the city. Avoid all protests. 

Context

The protesters are calling for opposition political figure Aleksei Navalny to be released from jail. Navalny as sentenced to a 20-day term in jail on October 2 for allegedly calling for the unsanctioned protest in St. Petersburg. Navalny's campaign manager Leonid Volkov was also arrested on the same charges. Official authorization is required for all protests and other large public gatherings in Russia; police sometimes use force to disperse unauthorized demonstrations.

Navalny is a well-known anti-corruption activist, and announced last year that he would run for president in 2018. However, Russia's electoral commission barred him from officially running due to previous arrests. Despite this, Navalny has continued to campaign in recent weeks, holding rallies across the country that have drawn thousands of people.

Advice

Individuals present in Russia are advised to avoid all demonstrations as violence can break out with little to no warning. Travelers should be aware that large public gatherings in Europe have been targeted by terrorist attacks in recent years; remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.​