Volgograd: at protest action, townspeople express dissatisfaction with authorities

In Volgograd, the organizers of the action in support of the Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, have estimated the audience at 500 people; some protesters were detained. Activists explained their decision to go out to protest by dissatisfaction with authorities' policies.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 31, actions of Navalny's supporters were held in many regions of Russia, including cities of the country's south: Astrakhan, Volgograd, Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi and Stavropol. According to eyewitnesses, at the venues of unsanctioned actions, not only activists were detained, but also journalists and passers-by.

Prior to his detention, Vladimir Kruglyakov, an activist, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he had come to the protest action because "he was against the Russian authorities' policies." "I believe that all political prisoners should be released; and all anti-constitutional laws should be cancelled. I would have come anyway, even if there were no activists' detentions. With this action, we show the authorities our attitude to them," the activist has stated.

Vladimir, another protester, expressed a similar opinion. "I came to support protesters, because I believe that Navalny's investigation is true information about spending budget money not to the purpose. With this action, we want to show the authorities that we do not agree with the policies they pursue," he has noted.

Maria, a participant of the action, said that she came there because she "likes less and less what happens in the country."

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 31, 2021 at 04:44 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.