An All-Russian protest action The Day of Wrath is being held today in Russian cities, organized by the Solidarity Movement and the Federation of Car Owners. In several cities extra-parliamentary opposition will unite with the Communist Party, despite the fact that the party leadership opposed to an alliance with the Solidarity.
"I calmly take the words of the Communist Party leadership that we are using their own protest actions - Denis Bilunov, the leader of Russia's Solidarity Organization, said to the Russian Kommersant paper. - Today, the protest activity should be carried out on a coalition basis. That makes it more efficient".
It is to be mentioned that the Russian government is controlled by and composed of KGB agents, secret and open, so any anti-government rally is directed first of all against the KGB.
In many cities, according to organizers, the authorities are trying to prevent holding rallies: in particular, problems have arisen in Moscow. Yesterday, the police department summoned the leader of the Left Front Sergei Udaltsov for intimidating talks. Later he told that no compromise had been reached, and the police threatened that if the action would be held in the very center of Moscow, on Pushkin Square, as scheduled, the participants would be detained.
On Friday night, the police closed the website "March 20" which reported details of about the planned protests. The site was accused of "extremism".
A mass protest rally, within the framework of the All-Russian action, has been already held on the central square of Vladivostok. The rally was supported by the Communist Party, Yabloko and Fair Russia opposition groups as well as by the political movement Freedom and Democracy Movement and public organizations like TIGR, Vladmama etc.
About 1.5 thousand people attended the rally. People gathered under anti-government slogans ("Putin must resign") and called for the dismissal the regional leadership, a return to the system of electing governors and others.
The protests in Russia are also of some interest in the West, especially in the US
Senator John McCain addressed the Congress with a special message on the eve of Russian protests:
"We should all say a silent prayer and a public word of support for Russia's courageous human rights activists, as they make their voices heard this Saturday.
These brave men and women want the best for their country. They want a government that is not only strong but just, peaceful, inclusive, and democratic.
I urge Russia's leaders to recognize that peaceful champions of universal values are not a threat to Russia, and that groups like this should not face the kinds of violence, repression, and intimidation that Russian authorities have used against similar demonstrators in the past. The eyes of the world will be watching.
Russia is a great nation, and like all Americans of goodwill, I want Russia to be strong and successful. I want Russia's economy to be a vibrant source of wealth and opportunity for all Russians. I want Russia to play a proud and responsible role in world affairs.
And I will continue to affirm, in public and in private, that the best way for Russians to secure the things they say they care about most - reduced corruption, a strengthened and equitable rule of law, economic modernization - is by nurturing a pluralistic and free civil society, by building independent and sustainable institutions of democracy, and by respecting the human rights of all", McCain said.
Department of Monitoring,
Kavkaz Center
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