Udaltsov prevented from attending sanctioned rally in St. Petersburg
ST. PETERSBURG. July 8 (Interfax) - Opposition leader and Left Front coordinator Sergei Udaltsov and his supporters have been held outside the Great Concert Hall Oktyabrsky in St. Petersburg.
Udaltsov, Olga Kurnosova and several other people came to the square near the Oktyabrsky at around 7 p.m. They were immediately surrounded by reporters, photo correspondents and cameramen, as well as several opposition activists who came to the meeting.
Now we need to walk in a disorganized fashion, since no march was allowed, towards Marsovo Pole where the sanctioned rally is due to take place, Udaltsov said.
However, the police stopped them from doing that. Having rounded up the assembled, they started arresting people and putting them, including reporters, into police vans, an Interfax correspondent said.
Prior to his arrest Udaltsov promised to announce today in St. Petersburg "the fall offensive against crooks and thieves."
