Apolitical march

St. Petersburg is again preparing for protests by “dissenters”

An autumn invasion of dissent is expected on the streets of the northern capital. Yesterday, five public organizations submitted an application to Smolny to hold another protest march on September 13. True, this time the slogans of the “dissenters” are expected to be apolitical, and the protesters intend to speak out in defense of the historical center of the city.

Judging by the organizations that took part in drawing up the application for the march, in the ranks of the demonstrators there will indeed be mainly opponents of the thoughtless development of St. Petersburg - in particular, the Living City movement, the Movement of Civil Initiatives (DGI), Okhtinskaya arc”, “Let’s protect Vasilievsky Island” and “Save Yuntolovo”. “We fundamentally insist that this march should not have any political overtones, no political speculation,” said Yevgeny Kozlov, chairman of the DGI coordinating council, yesterday. -- This is a citywide action in defense of our historical and cultural heritage, which anyone can join, regardless of their political beliefs. Therefore, only city flags and posters in its defense will fly over the column.”

Nevertheless, Mr. Kozlov still admitted that among the demands there will be something “that can be called political.” “This is a demand to return the election of governors, because it is the supreme power of St. Petersburg that cannot protect it from destruction,” explained a representative of the DGI.

According to the organizers of the “dissent” action, the gathering of participants will begin on Saturday, August 13, at the Yubileiny Sports Palace, and the march will end on the square. Andrei Sakharov near the library of the Academy of Sciences. By the end of the week, the organizers of the march must receive permission from Smolny to hold the action.

Natalya SHKURENOK, St. Petersburg