Opposition activist Udaltsov speaks of collective petitions to presidential administration against pension age increase
MOSCOW. July 4 (Interfax) - Hundreds of people have gathered near the Russian presidential administration building in central Moscow to collectively file petitions against changes to the pension legislation, Left Front movement coordinator Sergei Udaltsov said.
"A rally against the pension age increase is taking place near the presidential administration building. There is the collection of petitions involving several hundreds of people. I think 200-250 people have come," Udaltsov told Interfax on Wednesday.
The rally is taking place peacefully, the police have tightened security and installed fences in the area, but are not preventing petitions from being filed, he said.
"The petitions demand that the pension age not be increased and that the issue be addressed at a nationwide referendum. A proposal has also been made to make a red band a symbol of protest against the reform," he said.
Udaltsov earlier told Interfax the Moscow authorities had denied the left forces authorization of a rally against changes to the Russian pension legislation in the city on July 4. In this regard, the organizers decided to hold an event in the format of collecting filing of petitions to the Russian presidential administration.