This is a way to declare disagreement

In Moscow and St. Petersburg, the march of the memory of Boris Nemtsov was held - in 2020 there were much more people and slogans on it

On February 29, in Moscow and St. Petersburg, the next march of the memory of the opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was killed on February 27, 2015 on the Moskvoretsky bridge, was held. Medusa correspondents, who walked along with the participants of marches in two capitals, drew attention to the fact that over the year the number of people in these marches doubled, and the memory of the memory turned into a statement about what was happening in the country right now.

In St. Petersburg, the march at first tried to ban, and then allowed a procession 700 meters long. Eight participants in the march were detained - including a person with a poster "I know who ordered"

The authorities of St. Petersburg were afraid of the march of the memory of Boris Nemtsov. The organizers were persistently offered to replace it with a rally and twice refused to coordinate the procession on formal reasons - among other things, they allegedly could not decipher the abbreviation of the Russian Federation in the text of the application, and also did not understand what political repressions the organizers were going to be declared for shares. On the third attempt, the march was nevertheless agreed, but on the shortest route 700 meters along the Petrograd side-from the Gorkovskaya metro station to Solovetsky Stone on Trinity Square.

“Of course, this is not the procession that we dream of. But an alternative to what we now offer is mass detentions and, God forbid, a battle in the city center. In fact, it will be a mass picket, and in many ways a mourning event, ” said Maxim Reznik, a deputy of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly.

And on the eve of the memory march, class leaders of St. Petersburg schools received an urgent letter from the city committee on education. They were asked to carry out a “preventive work” with schoolchildren so that they would not go to protest promotions. About 800 employees of the Russian Guard (including from other cities) were driven to the march itself, the city was dispersed in the city and the Tiger armored vehicles, and snipers were noticed on the roof of houses in the center of St. Petersburg, Fontanka writes.

The march in St. Petersburg began earlier than Moscow. By 12 o’clock in the afternoon (at this time the participants were assigned) about 500 people gathered at Gorky. In their hands, many held portraits of Boris Nemtsov and flowers. Among those who came, there were several companies of young people for no more than 18-20 years in appearance. Many kept the flags of Russia, some led direct broadcasts on Instagram and explained to their subscribers the significance of a memorable action. 19-year-old student Maxim, a supporter of politician Alexei Navalny, explained to Medusa that he knows about Nemtsov in many ways from the stories of his parents who also adhere to opposition views. “I came to this action not only because of Nemtsov. This is also a way to declare his disagreement [with the current government], ”he added.

In the crowd, there really were many posters not related to Nemtsov - there were even zoo protection, but the majority were dedicated to the case of the "network" . The father of the defendant of this case Julia Boyarshinov Nikolai also came to the action. The pensioner stood with the poster "Boris Nemtsov was killed five years ago. The FSB does not know what to do? It is necessary to investigate real crimes, and not to factory new cases. ”

In total, according to the organizers, up to three thousand people came to the action. In 2019, they were at least half as much. Scanditering “Our name is Boris Nemtsov”, “Nemtsov’s killers to answer” and “Remembering means fighting”, people have come from the metro to the framework of metal detectors standing at the aisle to the Solovetsky Stone.

It was there that the detentions began on the march - although a couple of minutes before that, the police aside from the action discussed that today the order was given "not to detain until the last." In total, eight people were detained , the majority for opposition posters. So, the police detained an activist with a poster with a quote by Nemtsov about President Vladimir Putin: "He is ******* [crazy], Vladimir Putin, so that you understand." Two more men, according to eyewitnesses, were detained for the mate to the police.

Solovetsky stone passed a minute of silence, people laid flowers and put candles to the memorial. One of the organizers of the action, the deputy of the city Legislative Assembly Boris Vishnevsky made a speech and expressed the hope that the march participants would wait for the moment when the murders of Boris Nemtsov will be detained. The crowd responded with the chanting of "Kadyrov - shame of Russia."

Gradually, the participants crashed into small companies. Three pensioners discussedthe investigation of the FBK on real estate, the daughter of the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, men argued nearby whether Vladimir Putin could be considered mentally ill from a medical point of view. The Libertarians chanted “Freedom to Sasha Litreev ”, a middle -aged man stood in front of the members of the Yabloko party and inspiredly read poetry about how he, following the example of Nemtsov, “tried freedom”. The periodically gathered chanted “Russia will be free”, “freedom of political prisoners” and “heroes do not die”. Several times the audience chanted “Thank you, Prague”: February 27 in the Czech capital, the square where the Russian embassy is located, was officially named Boris Nemtsov Square.

In parallel, the police continued to detain individual participants. The last, a few minutes before the end of the action, took the activist with the poster “I know who ordered. And you? " The commemorative action ended at about 13:30, the participants diverged under the song of the St. Petersburg Bard of Mikhail Novitsky with the words "Borya is with us in this struggle."

In Moscow, twice as many people also came to march than a year ago. Participants in the procession carried posters about the case of the "network" and amendments to the Constitution

In Moscow, the beginning of the march was planned at 14:00, but all began to approach the passionate boulevard in the area of ​​noon. By the appointed time, the queue of people trying to go through the framework of police metal detectors reached the escalators in the Chekhovskaya metro. As a result, many still stood in line for the entrance even at 14:50, when the march was already walking with might and main. Among them was an elderly man who came to a march with a white rabbit in the carry (a man brought a rabbit to the action “for the company”, he explained to the Medusa correspondent). He picked up a carry on all sides with red stickers "I dismiss Putin." The man handed these same stickers to people in line.

When the march began, people walked for some time without shouting slogans, but simply quietly discussing the political agenda in the country and their everyday affairs. Someone turned on Viktor Tsoi through the “Changes” column, and several young people shouted simultaneously with the chorus in the song: “Moving! We are waiting for change! ” Many came out with photos of Boris Nemtsov. However, most of the posters concerned the changes in the constitution and political prisoners: “The constitution is not a rag to change it for the sake of rulers”, “Freedom to the defendants of the case of the“ Network ”,“ Puding is overdue ”,“ Freedom to Konstantin Kotov ”.

Soon it was heard from the back rows: "Freedom is political prisoners!" The crowd together picked up this slogan. Near the Sergiev Church, an elderly women with the red bandages of the “squad” on the down jackets stood behind the fence with the guards. “What, mother, the church supports the murder?” The man asked. "Vice versa. We guard you, ”the woman answered, smiling and exchanging glances with the policeman.

Having reached clean ponds, the march participants stretched out a large black canvas with the phrase “My Russia is in prison” and asked everyone to stop for a while. The slogans began to be heard from the crowd: “Boris Nemtsov is a hero of Russia”, “Heroes do not die!” And "freedom is political prisoner!" Women's voices shouted: “Crisis center in every district”, “We need a law on domestic violence, you need a law on domestic violence, everyone needs a law on domestic violence.” From the first rows of the march came: “Fight for your rights”, “Fight like Boris”, “The network is a shame on Russia. Let's say no torture. ” “Freedom of Julia Tsvetkova !”, Women's voices shouted again.

A man with his son went nearby (Oleg with his 10-year-old son Andrei, they introduced themselves to the Medusa correspondent). The son asked his father: “What did this Julia Tsvetkova do?” For a second, my father was embarrassed: “Son, she drew pictures, well, like those that you and I look at the center of Moscow in museums. She painted a female nudity, let's say so. " After a little pause and comprehending the words of his father, the child asked a new question: “Dad, I still understand a fine, but for what?” “That's why we are here today, Andryusha,” the father answered.

“Freedom is political prisoner!”, - again came in the crowd. “Dad, how do everyone know that these political prisoners are not really to blame for something?” The boy asked again. “You see, Andryusha, of course, we do not know whether they are to blame or not. But we know that they are tortured by the police. And this is in no way. And it is better to let go of the guilty than put the innocent in prison, ”Oleg answered.

The Medusa correspondent, the man said that he is trying to take part in the marches in the memory of Boris Nemtsov every year. “He took his son with him to spend time with him and so that he had already seen with his own eyes that at least not everything that they show him on TV is true,” Oleg explained. He himself considered it important to go out, because soon the authorities are going to amend the Constitution and because this year five years have passed since the death of a politician.

In the crowd there was again “fight like Boris”, “Cancel 282”, “The apartment is standing like a rocket - thanks to Putin for this”, “One, two, three - Putin go away”. At about four o’clock in the afternoon, the procession reached the Red Gate metro station, after which most of the march participants began to diverge. Some went to put flowers on the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky bridge - to the place of murder of Boris Nemtsov.

In total, according to the “White Counter”, more than 22 thousand people came to the march in Moscow this year (the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported only about 10.5 thousand participants). This is at least twice as much as in 2019: then the White Meter reported about 10 thousand participants.

Pavel Merzlikin, Irina Kravtsova