Nemtsov memorial rallies held in Barnaul, Kemerovo
KEMEROVO/BARNAUL. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Small rallies on the occasion of Boris Nemtsov's death anniversary have been held in Kemerovo and Barnaul, Interfax correspondents reported.
In Kemerovo, demonstrators gathered at Volkov Square from where they were planning to start marching in procession. Prior to the event, the demonstrators were addressed by the Kemerovo regional police head of public safety and liaising with executive authorities, Valery Plakhotya, who said that demonstrators should drop their plan to hold the event, which was banned by the authorities.
However, some of the assembled decided to march along the streets notwithstanding. As a result, six people were arrested. Plakhotya told reporters that these people were arrested on suspicion of "breaking the law N54" (the federal law "On assemblies, rallies, demonstrations, marches and pickets").
In Barnaul, a permitted memorial rally took place near a monument to victims of political repressions on Freedom Square. Participants laid flowers near a photograph of Boris Nemtsov which they brought along and put near the monument.
"Nemtsov's murder is a blow to our future and to the future of our children, to our constitution, to the state. We hoped that the masterminds of this murder would be found in time for the death anniversary, but only the perpetrators were," rally organizer Gennady Sheida said.
Boris fought for the freedom to think, act and live, "that is what he was murdered for," the activist added.