News / Russia

Russia police detain dozens for breaching public order

Sunday, 02 April 2017 4:14 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 02 April 2017 5:21 PM ]

Policemen stand guard during an unsanctioned anti-government protest in central Moscow, Russia, April 2, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

Russian police have arrested nearly three dozen people for breaching public order after they took to the streets in the capital at unauthorized anti-government rallies in a follow-up to last week's large-scale demonstrations across the country.

"Twenty-nine people were detained by police for breaches of public order," the city police's press service said on Sunday as the protesters sought to organize a march toward the Kremlin.

There was heavy security presence in the streets of Moscow with police blocking off Pushkin Square, traditionally a gathering point for demonstrations.

According to reports, there were some 100 protesters in the center of Moscow, a notably smaller group than last week's protests organized by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Several dozen people were detained in protests across Russia on March 26, after the opposition urged people to take to the streets to demonstrate against alleged corruption and demand the resignation of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Read more:

Dozens detained in anti-corruption protests across Russia

Navalny called the demonstrations after publishing a detailed report this month accusing Medvedev of controlling a property empire through a shadowy network of non-profit organizations. Medvedev has so far given no reaction to it.

The Kremlin critic, who has announced his intention to run for president in next year's elections, has been rallying supporters in major Russian cities in recent weeks.

Last week’s protests were one of the largest unauthorized rallies since the year 2000 when Putin was inaugurated as president.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday denounced as a "provocation" the recent protests and said, “Essentially what we saw yesterday in several places - probably especially in Moscow - is a provocation and a lie.”

Read more: