Several Navalny's supporters detained at unauthorized rallies in St. Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, Murmansk
ST. PETERSBURG/PETROZAVODSK/MURMANSK. Jan 28 (Interfax) - Several protesters at an unauthorized rally held by opposition activist Alexei Navalny's supporters have been detained in St. Petersburg.
Protesters gathered at about 2 p.m. in Proletarian Dictatorship Square. Police have repeatedly warned protesters that the rally has not been authorized and they can be hold liable for this, and have urged them to disperse, but have detained none of them.
Half an hour after the start of the rally, protesters have moved to the city's downtown in several columns, including to Dvortsovaya Square, where police have detained several protesters, an Interfax correspondent reported.
Protesters have also passed along Nevsky Avenue to the Galleria shopping mall, where they are chanting their slogans. Police have cordoned off the protest site.
Several activists were also detained at an unauthorized rally in Petrozavodsk. The city administration did not authorize the rally, because another event, that is, a bicycle race and a holiday dealing with the patriotic upbringing of young people, has been scheduled at the local Hyde Park for this time, but Navalny's supporters came out for the rally in the Karelian capital.
Several protesters were detained for different violations.
In particular, Violetta Grudina, the coordinator of the Navalny's Murmansk headquarters, and her deputy were detained before the start of the rally in Murmansk, according to the data cited by Navalny's supporters in the group of the opposition activist's Murmansk headquarters in the social networks. "Police have detained about 25 activists at the rally," the statement said.