Thousands of Russians took to the streets to demonstrate against corruption on Sunday, March 26.
The unsanctioned protests were the biggest public gatherings since the 2011/2012 anti-Kremlin demonstrations. Harsh new laws were introduced in June 2012 to deter unauthorized protests.
The Kremlin warned on March 24 that the planned protests were an illegal provocation.
OVD Info, a human rights organisation which monitors detentions, said 785 people had been detained in Moscow alone.
Police said around 7,000-8,000 people were on the city’s Pushkin Square and surrounding areas by mid-afternoon.
As evening drew in, hundreds of riot police drove protesters away.
The protests were in response to anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny and his allegations that Dmitry Medvedev, current prime minister and former president, had amassed a huge fortune that far outstripped his official salary.
Protesters were demanding Medvedev’s resignation.
Medvedev’s spokeswoman called the allegations “propagandistic attacks” unworthy of detailed comment.
Protesters numbering in the thousands also appeared in St. Petersburg and Vladivostok.
The protests come one year before the next presidential election scheduled for March 2018 . Vladimir Putin is expected to join the contest, running for what would be a fourth term.
