Russian Far East Protesters Turn Out by the Thousands as Crackdown Intensifies

[LiberalArkie]

KHABAROVSK — As the rain beat down, a sea of umbrellas filled the valley that has become part of the well-trodden path protesters take on their daily march around the city of Khabarovsk in Russia’s Far East.

Despite a torrential summer downpour, thousands took to the streets for the fourth straight massive Saturday protest, the main event of the daily rallies. There has now been a demonstration for 22 consecutive days since the arrest of governor Sergei Furgal on July 10 on several 15-year-old murder charges his supporters believe are payback for their having voted a politician who does not represent the ruling United Russia party into office. Furgal is a member of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.

But as the protest movement has taken on an increasingly anti-Kremlin stance over the past two weeks, the authorities have begun to crack down.

This week they handed two protesters week-long prison sentences, slapped fines of 10,000 rubles ($134.4) apiece on another two demonstrators for participating in unsanctioned protests and detained another two on the eve of Saturday’s rally, holding them overnight. According to Russian law, demonstrations have to be agreed in advance with the authorities, who have not approved any of the Khabarovsk rallies.

Snip

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/08/01/russian-far-east-protesters-turn-out-by-the-thousands-as-crackdown-intensifies-a71037

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Hope it keeps pooty-poot too busy to interfere in our affairs

but he’s probably up to multitasking.

[Leghorn21]

2. So moving, so courageous

Sending all best wishes and a truckload of

RESPECT

[central scrutinizer]

3. Yes, very courageous

Putin is farther along the totalitarian arc than his mentee, Drumpf. The Wall of Moms in Portland were not going to be run down by tanks. These brave souls?