Thousands of people took to the streets on March 26 in anti-corruption protests in 100 cities across Russia. While largely peaceful, the demonstrations resulted in the arrest and detention of hundreds, including opposition figure and protest organizer Alexey Navalny. Police shoved Navalny into a van as his supporters shouted “This is our city,” according to the New York Times (paywall).
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The protests were the most visible demonstration against the regime of President Vladimir Putin since the mass protests surrounding Putin’s third presidential election in 2012. The most recent demonstrations were organized in the wake of a report Navalny released this month on the $1 billion portfolio of luxurious properties Prime Minister Dmitri A. Medvedev has amassed during his time in office.
Reports placed the number of people arrested in Moscow alone at 785. The demonstration in the capital, like most of those across the country, went ahead despite being denied legal permission. The Kremlin called it a “provocation,” according to CNN.
State television—the primary news source for most Russians—was silent on the protests, as was the White House.
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