A sign of the present time is the spontaneous unity of citizens in the face of a threat from the state. In St. Petersburg, where protests against the abolition of benefits are the most violent, the matter is no longer limited to protests aimed at combating the government's monetization policy. This week, the leaders of the ASG announced that they were starting picketing on local television, demanding objective coverage of the actions of the protesters. According to media reports, the police have already begun persecuting activists.