MOSCOW, Russia.- Tuesday morning, on Russia's national holiday, thousands of Russians gather at the famous Pushkin Square in Moscow to rally against President Valdmir Putin and for fresh elections, with demonstrators chanting anti-government slogans, holding banners and flying flags.
Last week, Mr. Putin rushed to pass a bill that would raise the fine on unauthorized protests a 150-fold, according to The Globe and Mail. The bill also increases fines on violations of any protest laws. Tuesday's protest does have city and police approval, however, the government is using other methods of abating the enthusiasm and popularity of the rally.
Opposition leaders such as Boris Nemstov and Sergei Udaltsov were summoned for questioning by the Investigation Committee this morning, an hour before protests, in an attempt to prevent them from attending the rallies. Both Nemstov and Udaltsov ignored the summons and attended the protest instead. Other key activists were subjected to unannounced searches.
The government has also cracked down the media, declining many journalists and news people access to the site of rally, in addition to shutting down internet services and hacking anti-government blog sites.
This is the first massive protest against Putin since his inauguration last month.Last month on May 6, a day before his inauguration, the people took to streets to protests, but the peaceful rally soon turned into a violent conflict between the police and civilians.
Mr. Putin is now in office for his third term as president. The protestors are demanding a new election claiming that the one that occurred in March were rigged.
