Anti-Putin protests sweep across Russia
December 10th, 2011 - 10:32 pm ICT by IANSMoscow, Dec 10 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Tens of thousands of Russians turned out in cities across the country Saturday in mass peaceful protest over recent elections they claim were rigged in favour of Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party, said authorities.
The demonstrations, which began on Russia’s Pacific Ocean coast and moved westwards over eight time zones, were an unprecedented test of Putin’s tolerance and a rare, large-scale display of popular unease with the political status-quo in the country.
In Moscow, thousands of protestors waving banners and chanting slogans like “Swindlers and Thieves!” and “Churov Resign!” — references to United Russia and Election Commission chief Vladimir Churov — converged at Bolotnaya Square, across the Moskva river from the Kremlin.
Police estimated the size of the Moscow rally at around 25,000 people. Organisers said it was closer to 40,000. At one point, the crowd turned in the direction of the Kremlin and shouted “Putin out!”
“We demand new elections because what happened on December 4 was a falsification,” said opposition activist Yevgeniya Chirikova.
She was referring to parliamentary elections on that date that many Russian voters and international observers charged were tilted in favour of United Russia party.
The scale and nature of the demonstrations were unprecedented since Putin came to power in Russia 12 years ago and the protests were watched closely as a test of Putin’s tolerance of political competition.
The rolling, nationwide demonstrations came a day after Russian election authorities announced final, official results of legislative elections giving United Russia 238 seats in the 450-seat State Duma with just under 50 percent of the popular vote.
At least 1,000 people have so far been arrested in protests over the past five days, police said, including influential blogger and opposition activist Alexei Navalny.
There was no immediate comment Saturday from Putin or President Dmitry Medvedev on the protests.
But Andrei Isayev, a senior United Russia official, said the party would take account of the demands voiced by the protestors.
Putin and Medvedev have said vote irregularities would be investigated.
Putin Thursday accused the US of meddling in Russian affairs and encouraging the protests after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticised the Dec 4 election.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
sd/vt
- Anti-Putin protest thwarted by police - Feb 01, 2012
- Kremlin supporters announce counter-rally - Dec 10, 2011
- Pro-Kremlin 'response rally' draws 25,000 in Moscow - Dec 12, 2011
- Putin returns to Kremlin amid protests (Lead) - May 07, 2012
- Putin confirms Medvedev to be PM, given election win - Dec 02, 2011
- Russian protests may turn into civil war: Billionaire - Jan 31, 2012
- Thousands protest in Moscow demanding fresh vote - Dec 25, 2011
- Russians rally as Medvedev offers reforms - Feb 04, 2012
- Pro-Kremlin groups to stage 26 rallies in Moscow - Mar 04, 2012
- Russian church urges Kremlin not to ignore vote protests - Jan 08, 2012
- Moscow authorises opposition rally - Jan 26, 2012
- Medvedev backs Putin for Russian president - Sep 24, 2011
- (After 2) Russia all set for an interesting presidential poll - Dec 21, 2011
- Russia's election chief declines to resign - Jan 06, 2012
- 60 percent Russians say Putin victory fair: State poll - Mar 20, 2012
Tags: election authorities, election commission, falsification, international observers, legislative elections, moskva river, opposition activist, pacific ocean coast, parliamentary elections, peaceful protest, political competition, popular vote, ria novosti, russian election, russian voters, s pacific, state duma, swindlers, vladimir putin, westwards