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Russia police arrest 170 anti-Kremlin protesters
Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:42AM EDT
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian police detained at least 170 people, including chess champion Garry Kasparov, on Saturday as they snuffed out an attempt by opponents of President Vladimir Putin to protest near the Kremlin.
Activists had planned to gather at a city centre square about one km (half a mile) from the Kremlin to protest at what they say is Putin's trampling of democratic freedoms and demand a fair vote to choose a new president in 2008.
Teams of riot police, acting on a ruling from the city authorities banning the protest, pounced on protesters as they appeared in small groups near the square and swiftly loaded them into buses, Reuters witnesses said.
"The authorities are afraid of their own citizens and they do not want citizens to influence what is happening in the country," Mikhail Kasyanov, a leader of the Other Russia opposition coalition that organized the protest, told Reuters.
"On the eve of the elections ... of course the authorities are terribly scared of this and today's excessive actions by the police (are proof of that)," said Kasyanov, a former prime minister under Putin.
Former chess grandmaster Kasparov, also an Other Russia leader, was taken to court in central Moscow.
"He is charged with walking along among the crowd of people and shouting anti-government slogans," Yelena Liptser, one of his lawyers, said outside the court.
Groups of protesters, waving Russian flags and roses and shouting "Russia without Putin", were dispersed as they tried to make their way to another square a few kilometers away. A Reuters reporter saw several being led away to police vans.
"The authorities are afraid of their own citizens and they do not want citizens to influence what is happening in the country," Mikhail Kasyanov, also an Other Russia leader, told Reuters.
"On the eve of the elections ... of course the authorities are terribly scared of this and today's excessive actions by the police (are proof of that)," said Kasyanov, a former prime minister under Putin.
DETENTIONS
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The protesters have marginal influence in Russia. The vast majority of voters back Putin, who has overseen rising incomes and political stability. Kremlin loyalists say the protesters are dangerous extremists plotting a revolution.
The protest came a day after Russian multi-millionaire Boris Berezovsky said in a newspaper interview from his London base that he was fomenting revolution in Russia. The protest organizers distanced themselves from Berezovsky.
Moscow police chief spokesman Viktor Biryukov said about 170 of the "most aggressive" protesters had been detained.
"Thanks to the well-coordinated actions of the riot police and Moscow police, we were able to prevent an illegal gathering being carried out," he said.
Police said they had mobilized 9,000 officers around the centre of Moscow to keep order.
"The police just didn't let us get together. It was difficult to make our point," said 28-year-old Yuri Vatsky.
Four Reuters journalists -- two photographers and two camera crew -- were detained as they covered the clashes. All four were later released without charge.
Water-cannon trucks and at least a thousand police surrounded the square, in the shadow of a statue to poet Alexander Pushkin, where protesters had planned to congregate.
"For ordinary people in Russia today, it's a contest for survival," Anastasia Krampit, 39, said as she watched the protesters drift away.
Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:42AM EDT
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian police detained at least 170 people, including chess champion Garry Kasparov, on Saturday as they snuffed out an attempt by opponents of President Vladimir Putin to protest near the Kremlin.
Activists had planned to gather at a city centre square about one km (half a mile) from the Kremlin to protest at what they say is Putin's trampling of democratic freedoms and demand a fair vote to choose a new president in 2008.
Teams of riot police, acting on a ruling from the city authorities banning the protest, pounced on protesters as they appeared in small groups near the square and swiftly loaded them into buses, Reuters witnesses said.
"The authorities are afraid of their own citizens and they do not want citizens to influence what is happening in the country," Mikhail Kasyanov, a leader of the Other Russia opposition coalition that organized the protest, told Reuters.
"On the eve of the elections ... of course the authorities are terribly scared of this and today's excessive actions by the police (are proof of that)," said Kasyanov, a former prime minister under Putin.
Former chess grandmaster Kasparov, also an Other Russia leader, was taken to court in central Moscow.
"He is charged with walking along among the crowd of people and shouting anti-government slogans," Yelena Liptser, one of his lawyers, said outside the court.
Groups of protesters, waving Russian flags and roses and shouting "Russia without Putin", were dispersed as they tried to make their way to another square a few kilometers away. A Reuters reporter saw several being led away to police vans.
"The authorities are afraid of their own citizens and they do not want citizens to influence what is happening in the country," Mikhail Kasyanov, also an Other Russia leader, told Reuters.
"On the eve of the elections ... of course the authorities are terribly scared of this and today's excessive actions by the police (are proof of that)," said Kasyanov, a former prime minister under Putin.
DETENTIONS
Reuters Pictures
Photo
Editors Choice: Best pictures
from the last 24 hours.
View Slideshow
The protesters have marginal influence in Russia. The vast majority of voters back Putin, who has overseen rising incomes and political stability. Kremlin loyalists say the protesters are dangerous extremists plotting a revolution.
The protest came a day after Russian multi-millionaire Boris Berezovsky said in a newspaper interview from his London base that he was fomenting revolution in Russia. The protest organizers distanced themselves from Berezovsky.
Moscow police chief spokesman Viktor Biryukov said about 170 of the "most aggressive" protesters had been detained.
"Thanks to the well-coordinated actions of the riot police and Moscow police, we were able to prevent an illegal gathering being carried out," he said.
Police said they had mobilized 9,000 officers around the centre of Moscow to keep order.
"The police just didn't let us get together. It was difficult to make our point," said 28-year-old Yuri Vatsky.
Four Reuters journalists -- two photographers and two camera crew -- were detained as they covered the clashes. All four were later released without charge.
Water-cannon trucks and at least a thousand police surrounded the square, in the shadow of a statue to poet Alexander Pushkin, where protesters had planned to congregate.
"For ordinary people in Russia today, it's a contest for survival," Anastasia Krampit, 39, said as she watched the protesters drift away.
