Chanting "This is our city", Russian opposition supporters marched in central Moscow Saturday in defiance of a protest ban, just a week before controversial elections in the capital. Under the watchful eye of police, hundreds participated in the so-called "March against political repressions", shouting out demands including: "Freedom to political prisoners!". Moscow police said turnout was about 750, while Russian media gave a figure of several thousand people.
Demonstrations have been held almost weekly since July after authorities barred most opposition candidates from registering for elections next Sunday for the city parliament. Moscow prosecutors warned the latest rally, called by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, was not authorised and participants would "bear responsibility." Saturday's gathering was noticeably calmer than previous ones where police had made thousands of sometimes violent arrests. None were reported this time round, with police merely advising people to leave the street and keep to pedestrian zones. Criticised for their actions in recent weeks, police did not intervene on Saturday.
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