Oeljana (25) also came to the demonstration, but watched it all safely from a coffee shop. “I find it quite exciting, which is why I prefer to stay on the sidelines. She herself has not spoken out for Navalny or against Putin, but especially against injustice, she says.” My heart goes out to my country and to the people who fight for it. a better future. ”Oeljana thinks that many people don’t want to risk their lives for real change. She doesn’t want to either. But she hopes that things will change.
Huge police force
As in Moscow, there was also a huge police force in Niznji, including the riot police. Although no truncheon or tear gas was used, as was the case in Moscow and St. Petersburg, nearly 100 people disappeared in the arresters’ vans. According to observers from the Open Democracy group, they were scattered all over Russia almost 5000 people arrested. That is more than last weekend.
20 criminal cases
Following last week’s protests, police launched more than 20 criminal cases against those in close contact with Navalny. They are accused of calling for mass rioting, violence against the police, blocking roads and violating corona-related rules. Several top employees of the Navalny team have also been placed under house arrest.
Local leader of Navalny’s team in Nizhny Novgorod, Roman Tregebov, was also arrested last Friday. He warned this weekend via a video message that people should definitely not take to the streets. According to his lawyer, Aleksandr Karavayev, the video was recorded after Tregubov was put under severe psychological pressure. “A classic tactic that always works well here.”
Yet it seemed that most people in Nizhny Novgorod had not heeded his warning. “People are fed up with it, they demand change,” said Oeljana. But whether these protests will really change anything in Russia is still the question.
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