RUSSIA: Supporters of punk-rock girl group Pussy Riot are arrested as they picket outside a Moscow city court, where two group members face charges for staging a punk protest in Russia's biggest cathedral

Record ID: 261096

  • Title: RUSSIA: Supporters of punk-rock girl group Pussy Riot are arrested as they picket outside a Moscow city court, where two group members face charges for staging a punk protest in Russia's biggest cathedral
  • Date: 15th March 2012
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MARCH 14, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MOSCOW CITY COURT BUILDING POLICEMAN WALKING PAST PUSSY RIOT GROUP SUPPORTER STANDING IN PICKET IN FACE MASK PUSSY RIOT GROUP SUPPORTER IN FACE MASK PUSSY RIOT GROUP SUPPORTER STANDING IN PICKET, THEN MAN APPROACHING AND SPRINKLING HER WITH HOLY WATER SIGN READING 'FREE PUSSY RIOT!' VARIOUS OF MAN SPRINKLING ANOTHE
  • Embargoed: 30th March 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Crime,Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA32QI5LEW9EL60CSLWJTJ0AW6J
  • Story Text: Three supporters of the all-girl punk-rock group Pussy Riot were arrested on Wednesday (March 14) as their picket outside the Moscow city court against detention of two Pussy Riot group members ended in scuffles with anti-Pussy Riot activists.
    Nadezhda Tolokno (Tolokonnikova) and Maria Alekhina were arrested for their alleged involvement in the group's protest action in Russia's biggest church, Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow on February 21. The group called their action a punk prayer with the title "Holy Mother, hush Putin away", but .
    The video of the protest went viral on the Internet, and more than 2,000 people signed an open letter to the Russian Orthodox Church calling for the clergy not to press charges, on the two women who are both mothers of small children.
    The complaint against the women's' arrests was heard on Wednesday, and picketers outside of court encountered resistance from those who were incensed by Pussy Riot's action.
    The group's supporters stood along the court building fence holding posters demanding the release of the punk protesters. A group of people tried to grab their posters and provoke violence, while another group tried to involve them in heated religious discussions, loudly recited the Bible and sprinkled picketers with holy water.
    "They want to put them (the Pussy Riot group) on trial for hooliganism for a fairly innocent action they staged in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral. But incredible things are happening right here now: people are provoking and attacking those who are standing in the picket line, while the police are not doing anything. The only thing the police are doing is threatening us," picket participant David Abramov told Reuters before three men immediately grabbed his poster, threw it on the ground and wiped their feet on it.
    Abramov was one of the three people arrested later.
    "I don't see any ground for them (Pussy Riot group) to be arrested for a long period of time. Therefore I came here to express my support," another Pussy Riot group supporter, Luba Inzhutina, said while a man standing next to her tried to silence her by reciting the Bible.
    Scuffles broke out when anti-Pussy Riot activists tried to attack picketers who tried to hold them back. A Pussy Riot group supporter had her face mask pulled off her before being punched in the face.
    One of those who was involved in the scuffle said his actions were justified.
    "(Christ the Saviour Cathedral) is Moscow's most important church. If people stupidly paint a swastika on a synagogue they are jailed for five years. But you have some chicks who stormed into the capital's main cathedral, and these people think they should be released," anti-Pussy Riot activist Alexander said.
    His comrade Nikita, who tried to grab picketers' posters, appealed to mass media to stop paying attention.
    "Today the propaganda of this immoral lifestyle directly impacts our Russia, our strength, our country. Even without it we have a serious demographic dip. And you are just keeping up this propaganda of a lifestyle which directly destroys the concept of the family," Nikita said.
    Police in riot gear moved in and made arrests among Pussy Riot group supporters. Later, the Moscow city court dismissed the complaint about the detention of girl punk protesters, denied bail and left them in prison until at least April 24.
    Pussy Riot stages illegal "concerts" across Moscow in brightly coloured dresses, tights and balaclavas, to protest the ruling Russian regime and what group members see as repressive political conditions in the country. The group has no lead singer or dominant member, and the women say they wear masks as a way of emphasising the cohesiveness of the group - not for the security of anonymity. The names they use and their costumes are all interchangeable.
    Members said they had been asked, and had refused, to perform at Russian opposition protest rallies.
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