A demonstration was not approved in Irkutsk citing the spread of coronavirus

The administration of the city of Irkutsk did not agree on a public event on several topical issues on August 15. Pavel Kharitonenko, one of the organizers, told OVD-Info about this.

The demonstration was planned to be held on the square near the monument to Alexander III, followed by a procession to the regional administration. The theme of the event was declared the widest, on all topical issues: against the usurpation of power, for fair elections - against the background of the recent vote on amendments to the Constitution, in defense of Lake Baikal, next to which they plan to build a railway, and in support of Khabarovsk.

On August 3, the administration of Irkutsk prepared a response in which it refers to the governor’s decree on the introduction of a high alert regime: under these conditions and with the spread of the coronavirus, holding a mass event “endangers the safety of participants in a public event.”

The organizers note that the ban looks ridiculous, since on August 2 a rally of paratroopers was held in Irkutsk, which was attended by the acting governor of the region, Igor Kobzev. The organizers plan to appeal this decision in court.