Footage from the Russian capital city of protesters going out to the streets against the exclusion of opposition candidates from local polls have been circulating the internet.
One video that was reportedly taken in Petrovka, one of Moscow’s most upscale streets, showed dozens of protesters blocking the street and chanting “Putin is a thief”.
Petrovka, one of Moscow’s most upscale streets has been blocked now with protesters chanting “Putin is a thief” pic.twitter.com/GePZypIUrr
— Ivan Nechepurenko (@INechepurenko) July 27, 2019
Meanwhile, thousands of protesters went to Moscow streets demanding authorities approve the opposition candidates application to run for elections after they have accused the government of barring them for political reasons.
Protesters in #Moscow keep walking through the center in groups, shouting for the city’s mayor to resign and for the opposition candidates to be registered for the city parliament elex. “We are the power here!” and “Honest elections!” they shout. Over 400 have been arrested. pic.twitter.com/vzjH9PgCu5
— Emily Sherwin (@EmilyCSherwin) July 27, 2019
This comes a week after the opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, was sentenced to jail for 30 days on Wednesday after he called for Saturday's demonstration that was triggered by announcements that officials disqualified around 30 opposition candidates claiming they have failed to collect valid signatures to run for the elections. Many of them were also detained a few days earlier.
