The participants walked through the city center, although their path was blocked. 103 people detained at a protest action in Novosibirsk
Today, January 31, an uncoordinated march took place in Novosibirsk in support of the politician Alexei Navalny. It lasted about three hours, all this time security officials worked in the center of the city. The events were also watched by the journalists of the NGS. We are showing you memorable footage from the protest rally.
The siloviki turned out to be more prepared than at the last rally on January 23, and quickly outpaced the columns of protesters. Today’s action was more like a walk, not a rally. People were not allowed to connect, some of them were forced to walk around the courtyards.
— Where is the main crowd, where is everything? — every now and then was heard among the participants. As soon as the convoy left the courtyards to the roadway, the security forces were already waiting for them at the crossroads. This time they no longer seemed polite and orderly. They detained everyone — it didn’t matter whether they were standing with a placard, shouting slogans or just walking in the crowd. Anyone could be in the paddy wagon.
The action began at about 12:00, when the first detainee appeared. It was the guy who walked with the poster
The participants wanted to go from the House of Officers to Lenin Square, then to Sverdlov Square and return through the Heroes of the Revolution square
But a checkpoint was built at the intersection of Krasniy Prospekt and Derzhavin
The people spontaneously walked along Derzhavin, bypassing. The goal was to reach Lenin Square
When people passed the Soviet, they began to chant slogans and take out posters. Several people were detained there
Security officials stood along the entire route of the protesters
Some of them happened to be on the march by accident — they said that they were going to work, for example. Someone said that they were walking, although such walkers covered the entire route
Two participants of the action, who are 83 and 84 years old, told why they had come:
— To release the prisoners: both Boyko and Navalny. So that there is no arbitrariness
Many had homemade posters
People did not reach Sverdlov — at the crossroads in front of the regional government building they were not allowed by the security forces
As a result, the people reached the bust of Pokryshkin, there they stood, chanted and went in the opposite direction
Many filmed the action and conversations with the police on camera
People who were taken to the Gazelle and police vans leaned home-made posters against the windows
When the people reached the chapel, the participants began to disperse, but in the end everyone flocked to the mayor’s office and to Lenin Square
Opposite Pervomaisky square near the city hall, several people were detained, including those who took out the Russian flag
People were not allowed to the Lenin monument
Throughout the march, warnings were heard in the loudspeaker that the action was not coordinated, it was necessary to disperse
People came out onto the Vokzalnaya highway. The crowd said that everyone was going to Pervomaisky Square. The final meeting was planned there
However, there were paddy wagons, police, riot police at the Pervomaisky square. Detentions began
People chanted slogans. The police pushed them out of Pervomaisky Square to Lenin Square
Several people were literally carried in their arms by the siloviki
The protesters were transported to different police departments
In addition to the police, Rosgvardia worked on the spot.
According to OVD-Info, 103 people were detained at the rally in Novosibirsk (as of 19:17)
Policemen were still on duty in the square at about 17:00, but there were no more protesters left
