Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Russia’s Far East in a rare show of defiance against the Kremlin as they protested the arrest of a popular governor.
The huge rallies in the city of Khabarovsk on the border with China present a growing headache for the Kremlin, observers say, and come after President Vladimir Putin this month oversaw a controversial vote that allows him to extend his hold on power until 2036.
The protests in Khabarovsk, a city of some 600,000 people, began a week ago following the sudden arrest of popular governor Sergei Furgal in a murder probe.
While many expressed support for the arrested politician, some of the protest signs and chants were distinctly anti-Putin.
On Saturday, tens of thousands, including young people, the elderly and women with children in pushchairs marched through Khabarovsk’s hilly streets in temperatures of over 30C, an AFP correspondent said.
Smaller rallies also took place in nearby cities and towns including…
Source: Guardian Newspaper
