Moscow, February 13: Police detain a Russian opposition leader and a dozen activists as hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the central area of the capital, Moscow.
Amid freezing temperatures, the protesters rallied against what they said was the Kremlin’s stifling of democracy, as well as corruption and rising prices.
The protest was headed by Sergei Udaltsov of the anti-Kremlin Left Front group, the Associated Press reported.
The Left Front is a small opposition group allied with liberal democrats and leftist movements that have been denied registration for municipal and parliamentary elections.
Authorities had limited the rally to a central square, and riot police started arresting people after the protesters moved to the presidential administration building chanting “Time to replace the government” and “Enough of rising prices.”
Police said it warned the protesters against the march, which was in violation of the law.
Several dozen protesters held a similar rally in Saint Petersburg, where no arrests were made.
Activities of the opposition groups have been thwarted as authorities ban their rallies and police regularly break up their gatherings.
——–Agencies