Activists of “Russia for All,” despite the intervention of police and Cossacks, held a prayer service “in defense of the Constitution” and in support of “Pussy Riot”

On May 6, 2012, activists of the “Russia for All” movement held a prayer service in Moscow “in defense of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, against ignorance and obscurantism,” as well as in support of Pussy Riot. The prayer service was planned in the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square, but the participants of the action were not allowed to go there managed to get in because of the police cordons, so the service took place in the Zaikonospassky Church on Nikolskaya Street.

About 20 movement participants entered the temple at the beginning of the prayer service, but soon the police arrived there, detained activist Maria Baronova and took her to the police station. Several more people, in particular Elena Heidiz, Roman Bagdasarov and Viktor Rybas, were taken out of the temple. Other “Russia for All” activists managed to stay in the church until the end of the prayer service. After this, the organizers of the prayer service walked with the icon to the Kitay-Gorod police department.

Journalists who came to the prayer service were not allowed into the temple by the Cossacks.

The day before, the organizers of the prayer service submitted notes on the health of the members of the Pussy Riot group. Their prayerful commemoration took place at the liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Sources

• Defenders of the Constitution have no place in the temple? // Radio Liberty. 2012. May 6.
• Organizers of a prayer service in defense of the Constitution met with resistance // NEWSru.com. 2012. May 7.