Russia: Police detain more than 260 people involved in anti-Vladimir Putin protests in Moscow
Supporters of nationalist politician Vyacheslav Maltsev’s Artpodgotovka announced the demonstration on Unity Day. A court had declared them extremist.
Russian security forces said they had detained 263 people in Moscow on Sunday for breach of public order when the protestors were agitating against President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported. Some of the protestors were reported to be carrying weapons, including knives and non-lethal guns.
The demonstration was called by the supporters of nationalist politician Vyacheslav Maltsev’s Artpodgotovka movement, BBC reported. Last week, a Russian court had declared the group extremist and banned it in Russia.
The demonstration was planned a day after the Unity Day, commemorating the 1918 Bolshevik Revolution. It came two days after the Federal Security Service in Russia said it had arrested all the members of the group. The agency had then said the group had planned to attack administrative buildings and police personnel “to provoke mass unrest” on the Unity Day weekend, Reuters reported.