Saint Petersburg

The action in memory of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova was severely curtailed by the St. Petersburg authorities. And the rally of nationalists, which took place 4 days before, was allowed in full

On the evening of January 19, about 200 people gathered on Troitskaya Square to honor the memory of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and Novaya Gazeta journalist Anastasia Baburova. The past action could not be called either a rally or a picket, but rather in the evening...

On the evening of January 19, about 200 people gathered on Troitskaya Square to honor the memory of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and Novaya Gazeta journalist Anastasia Baburova. The past action could not be called either a rally or a picket, but rather an evening in memory of the tragically dead. Those who came to the square held their photographs and burning candles, and on a small portable screen they showed video clips about Nastya and Stas. For two hours, not a single speech was made, as officials forbade the protesters to use sound-amplifying equipment.

The authorities did not allow an anti-fascist rally to be held in St. Petersburg, as planned by the organizers: the anti-fascist movement, the youth movement "Defence", the youth union "Yabloko" and others. The action, scheduled for January 19, was not agreed immediately and with restrictions. The administration refused the notification filed on December 31 about it. Under the pretext that "they announced late." According to them, officials should have been notified 10-15 days in advance. However, due to the first 10 days off in January, which Smolny does not take into account, at least one day was not enough for the anti-fascists.

On January 11, the organizers re-submitted the notification, but this time to the picket on Troitskaya Square using equipment. They were allowed to picket, but they were not allowed to use any technical means, except for video broadcasting.

“These are not the first obstacles and difficulties with the coordination of actions that we have,” said Valery Smirnov, a member of the anti-fascist movement, in an interview with Novaya Gazeta. - Although the same officials easily agreed on the action of the nationalists on January 15 at the Yubileiny Sports Palace - in full, in the form of a rally and in response to a notification dated December 31 of the same. Note that both Nazis and anti-fascists apply to the same offices.