Putin's new hard line against Russian protesters to be put to a test

[Swede]

Helmeted riot police round up hundreds of protesters, including some whose only apparent crime is wearing white ribbons of opposition. A teacher who spoke out about election rigging is dragged into court and fined. Now a new law signed by President Vladimir Putin on Friday raises fines for participating in unauthorized protests 150-fold, to nearly the average annual salary in Russia.

Putin has cracked down on the opposition since returning to the presidency, and he seems to be betting that by threatening demonstrators with prison time and harsh fines he can quash the street protests that have posed an unprecedented challenge to his 12-year rule.

Putin said that the law is designed to safeguard Russians from "radicalism."



http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-eu-russia-putin-vs-protesters,0,6087413.story

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. That anti-protesting law 78 worked so well in Montreal against righteous students.

Here's hoping it "works" just as well for the citizens of Russia