World

Thousands Protest in Russia Against Electoral Fraud and for an End to Putin’s Rule

Protesters in Russia Want Putin Out

(AP) Tens of thousands of people held the largest anti-government protests that post-Soviet Russia has ever seen on Saturday to criticize electoral fraud and demand an end to Vladimir Putin’s rule. Police showed surprising restraint and state-controlled TV gave the nationwide demonstrations unexpected airtime, but there is no indication the opposition is strong enough to push for real change from the prime minister or his ruling party.

Nonetheless, the prime minister seems to be in a weaker position than he was a week ago, before Russians voted in parliamentary elections. His United Party lost a substantial share of its seats, although it retains a majority.

Al Jazeera English on the growing protests:

RT reports following one of the largest protests in Moscow in years:

The independent Russian election-observer group Golos said Saturday that “it achieved the majority mandate by falsification,” international observers reported widespread irregularities, and the outpouring of Russians publicly denouncing him throughout the country undermines Putin’s carefully nurtured image of a strong and beloved leader.

Putin “has stopped being the national leader – in the eyes of his team, the ruling political class and society,” analyst Alexei Malachenko of the Moscow Carnegie Center wrote on his blog.

Putin, who was the president of Russia in 2000-2008 before stepping aside because of term limits, will seek a new term in the Kremlin in the March presidential elections. The protests have tarnished his campaign, but there is not yet any obvious strong challenger.

The most dramatic of Saturday’s protests saw a vast crowd jam an expansive Moscow square and adjacent streets, packed so tight that some demonstrators stood on others’ toes. Although police estimated the crowd at 30,000, aerial photographs suggested far more, and protest organizers made claims ranging from 40,000 to 100,000 or more.

Elsewhere in Russia, some 7,000 protesters assembled in St. Petersburg, and demonstrations ranging from a few hundred people to a thousand took place in more than 60 other cities. Police reported only about 100 arrests nationwide, a notably low number for a force that characteristically quick and harsh action against opposition gatherings.

The police restraint was one of several signs that conditions may be easing for the beleaguered opposition, at least in the short term. Although city authorities generally refuse opposition forces permission to rally or limit the gatherings to small attendance, most the protests Saturday were sanctioned. In a surprise move, Moscow gave permission for up to 30,000 people to rally and police took no action when the crowd appeared to far exceed that. Just as striking, police allowed a separate unauthorized protest to take place in Revolution Square.

Protesters in Russia Want Putin Out

State-controlled television, which generally ignores or disparages opposition groups, broadcast footage not only of the Moscow protest – which was so big it would have been hard not to report – but in several other cities as well.

United Russia official Andrei Isayev on Saturday acknowledged that the opposition “point of view is extremely important and will be heard in the mass media, society and the state.”

Yet the concessions may be only a way of buying time in hope the protests will wither away. The opposition says the next large Moscow protest will be on Dec. 24. What it will do in the interim to keep morale high is unclear. In addition, the social media that nourished Saturday’s protests may be coming under pressure. A top official of the Russian Facebook analog Vkontakte said this week his company has been pressured by the Federal Security Service to block opposition supporters from posting. On Friday, he was summoned by the service for questioning.

Meanwhile, though United Russia may be shaken by the last week’s events, it still can count on a large cadre of supporters. The head of its youth wing, Timur Prokopenko, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying he had nearly 170,000 activists “who are ready at moment to go to rallies” in support of the government.

Saturday’s Moscow protest was notable not only for its size, but also for attracting political forces from across the spectrum – from liberals to communists to extreme nationalists.

“United Russia made a miracle, prompting all of us to unite against it,” nationalist leader Konstantin Krylov told the rally.

Thousands of protesters also were allowed to march from a gathering place near the Kremlin across downtown to a square where the main rally was held. Police were out in force, blocking all side lanes to prevent the demonstrators from approaching government buildings.

“Russia will be free!“ ”Russia without Putin!“ ”United Russia is a Party of Crooks and Thieves!” protesters chanted.

“We will fight to the end, to the cancellation of this shameful, false election,” said Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the liberal Yabloko party that failed to make it to parliament in last Sunday’s vote. “We are launching a campaign to drive Putin from power.”

The organizers sought to send a message of unity, urging the crowd to respect the diversity of speakers’ views. At one point, the audience booed a military veteran when he called for the restoration of the Soviet Union, but chanted slogans of support when he denounced the vote-rigging and said the army was with people.

“The army is with us, 80 percent of officers hate the defense minister,” retired Maj.-Gen. Yevgeny Kopyshev shouted.

The organizers also praised police for helping maintain order, as demonstrators chanted “Police with people!”

The rally demanded the cancellation of the election results, the punishment for officials responsible for vote-rigging, registration of the opposition parties that were denied it, liberalization of the electoral law and holding new elections. The organizers urged protesters to brace for another rally in two weeks.

“We’ll come again!” the crowd chanted.

The Moscow organizers appeared to realize they are facing a tough challenge of keeping protest momentum.

“Nothing will change it if it remains a single rally,” said Sergei Parkhomenko, the editor of Vokrug Sveta monthly magazine who was one of the demonstration’s organizers. “It must be the first in a long series of protests.”

Vladimir Milov, a former energy minister who is now an opposition activist, also acknowledged that the organizers need to plan their strategy to preserve the protests’ energy. “Otherwise people will just grow tired and stop attending the rallies,” he said, adding that the opposition must focus on next year’s presidential election.

Protesters in Russia Want Putin Out

Yevgeniya Albats, editor of the liberal New Times weekly, said the opposition must gather signatures for the cancellation of the vote results and for Putin to step down. “This is only the beginning of a long and difficult struggle,” she said. “This is our land, and we must get it back.”

Oleg Orlov, the head of Memorial rights group, said the rally turned a new page in history.

“We are now changing the nation’s history to the better,” Orlov said. “We will force the government to realize that they will have to pay a price for rigging the vote, and the price is their legitimacy.”

Orlov said the protests must focus on challenging Putin’s re-election bid. “We can deal a blow on this rule of thieves next March and show the real price to that ”national leader,’” he said.

The organizers read a letter from Ilya Yashin, an opposition leader jailed for taking part in a protest earlier this week. “Even behind bars we are feeling free, unlike those who are hiding from the people in the Kremlin,” Orlov said.

Comments (52)

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  • cassandra
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 11:54pm

    God Bless these people putin is still KGB and always will be

    Report Post »  
    • db321
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 12:00pm

      One more term for Obama and we will never get him out.

      Report Post » db321  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 11:27pm

    God bless them, they are now enemies of the state.

    Report Post »  
  • lylejk
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 10:58pm

    Now this is one protest movement that I can back. Hope the folk in the former Soviet Union remember what it was like under dictatorship rule and push to keep their new government free. :)

    Report Post » lylejk  
    • JSORG
      Posted on December 11, 2011 at 11:25am

      So true
      the wall street protesters need to take a lesson from those who know what “REVOLUTION” has brought us (Revolution without God = Socialism, Bolshevism, Communism = Death!) that bear(esau) of Daniel & Revelation is rearing his head again ………….

      Report Post » JSORG  
  • Juniemoon
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 10:55pm

    Take note republicans, we will be facing the same thing once again.

    Report Post » Juniemoon  
  • garbagecanlogic
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 10:33pm

    Hey Russians – you are only getting what you asked for.

    The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
    The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

    Report Post »  
  • Theodwulf
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 10:20pm

    Sadly the Russian people have been too good at suffering tyrants over their history. Hopefully they will finally get their Liberty. I have little doubt that once they get it , they will ever let it slip away.

    Report Post » Theodwulf  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 8:01pm

    I‘m sure that Obama and company are taking notes from Puuuty and his thugs on how it’s done. They’ll need plenty of fraud to pull it out this time. In 2008 many people were fooled by a smile and great line of: fill in the blanks! Oh yeah, least we forget that guy with the baseball bat guarding one of the polling stations.

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
  • KangarooJack
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 7:43pm

    I haven’t read enough about the entire thing to comment, other than this is fairly disconcerting due to it being Russia.
    I need to brush up on my PRE-WWI History. (not WWII so much as WWI). I seem to recall many “Movements” going on and (in hindsight) seeing how the whole war got set up and benefited some over others. Let’s see…Great Britain pulling back from Continental Europe. {Turkey always seems to be a low key-yet pertainant player} Russia involved in an upheaval. China is the big difference wild card though.

    Report Post » KangarooJack  
  • Jenasus
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:59pm

    Prepare For “The Freedom War” that is brewing around the Globe. World Warriors, Freedom Fighters and others like them UNITE to protect our rights of FREEDOM.

    Report Post » Jenasus  
  • Jenasus
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:56pm

    They are protesting GLOBALISTS of the New World Order. Obama, Gingrich and Romney are globalists in America. In the NWO we the people will lose all our rights of freedom and become subjects of the New World Order.
    The NWO wants to kill off 80% of the world population. In the NWO we the people will be implanted with a computer chip that will make infertile and than our government will feed us genetically engineered food that will be poisoned to kill us off.

    Report Post » Jenasus  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:52pm

    REAL RUSSIANS like REAL AMERICANS do not want dictators or tyrants in control of their lives.

    You, go REAL RUSSIANS! Get your beautiful, lovely, gorgeous country back and kick the elitists out straight into china (or worse). Know that REAL AMERICANS are praying you through.

    In JESUS’ name, amen.

    Report Post »  
  • I Luv America
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:15pm

    I used to work with a woman who was born and raised in Moscow. She came to the U.S. about 10 years ago and became a U.S citizen. Because of the job market here, when she went home to Moscow a few months ago for a visit, she decided to stay. Last week, she called my office to see how things are going with the protests here – when she left, the OWS protests were just starting up. Anyway, she is trying to figure out if its better to stay in Moscow or return to San Francisco. I never thought I would live to see the day when anyone would have trouble choosing between Russia and the U.S.

    Report Post »  
    • Restored One
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 7:01pm

      This is what we have to look forward to folks. Just a bit ago analysts on FOX said that the 2012 Prez race may be reminicent of 2004. I say more likely 2000. We better make sure that we keep an eye or the fraud that will take place. If the courts have to decide, the Criminal In Chief will steal it.

      Report Post »  
  • leftcoastslut
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:05pm

    these people are protesting in Communist Russia, imagine the risk they are taking. I’m sure they are not ******** on the police cars. What a joke our SEIU union workers are in recruiting the homeless to protest in the OWS rallies. Obama, this is a real protest. Take notes. This will not happen in America because we will impeach you or vote you out. end of story…

    Report Post »  
  • Rational Man
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:51pm

    Hmm, Wonder if we should follow the Russian’s lead on this one?

    Report Post » Rational Man  
  • garyM
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:42pm

    I hope they are photographing Americans when Obama announces he is appointing himself dictator-in-chief! I’m fearful our next election will be about like that one in Russia. You’ll never convince me we really had enough sheep following the wolf who voted for an Obama win in 08 or a Harry Reid win in Nevada in 2010!

    Report Post »  
    • Rational Man
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:03pm

      I’ll never be convinced either! The Nevada election was so obviously rigged. Nobody but union workers were allowed to count votes and operate the polling stations. A mysterious power outage that closed polls in Vegas for a time on election day. Voter intimidation. Another interesting thing to note is that Nv. had the highest unemployment rate in the nation before and after the election. It did drop a little sometime after the election when Reid got his payback from Obama in infrustructure and green energy spending. Short term union jobs in construction that for the most part are gone already.
      We are looking more like a third world country every day!

      Report Post » Rational Man  
  • certified ethical hacker
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:36pm

    Don’t anyone think it odd that our media jumps all over anything bad going on overseas but hardly ever covers the horrific voter fraud committed here in the states by the democraps like obuma nog nog and acorn?

    Report Post »  
  • sawbuck
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:21pm

    Atheist …That are U.S. Citizens….!

    Pay attention to.. RUSSIA’S ..life cycle . They too
    have a constitution it came into affect 12/23/93 .
    _____________________________________________________________________

    We, the multinational people of the Russian Federation, united by a common fate on our land, establishing human rights and freedoms, civic peace and accord, preserving the historically established state unity, proceeding from the universally recognized principles of equality and self-determination of peoples, revering the memory of ancestors who have conveyed to us the love for the Fatherland, belief in the good and justice, reviving the sovereign statehood of Russia and asserting the firmness of its democratic basic, striving to ensure the well-being and prosperity of Russia, proceeding from the responsibility for our Fatherland before the present and future generations, recognizing ourselves as part of the world community, adopt the CONSTITUTION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.
    ______________________________________ ______________________________

    Notice any difference from U.S. Declaration of Independence ..?

    If you’re a American Patriot ,who happens to an Atheist
    .
    That wants GOD out of our Governent , you better know what you ask for .

    When MAN gives you your rights .MAN can take them back.

    When a higher power gives your rights to you .

    Only.. The lord givith …And ONLY the lord can taketh away ..!

    All others Commit Treason .

    Report Post » sawbuck  
  • Greenwood
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:21pm

    It’s the times we are living in. You are seeing it all over the world now for the first time in history. People are rising up against the governments on a global scale. Read Daniel 2: 31 – 45

    Daniel 2: 43 Whereas you beheld iron mixed with moist clay, they will come to be mixed with the offspring of mankind; but they will not prove to be sticking together, this one to that one, just as iron is not mixing with molded clay.

    The strong like iron is the government and the molded clay the people. The toes of the feet will partly be strong and partly fragile. It is hard to stand without the support of the toes. The last kingdom of man will be crushed and God will set up his kingdom that will never be brought to ruin.

    Daniel 2: 44…………………….It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.
    45…………………….And the dream is reliable, and the interpretation of it is trustworthy.

    Report Post » Greenwood  
    • garyM
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:21pm

      25 “This is the inscription that was written:

      MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN

      26 “Here is what these words mean:

      Mene[e]: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

      27 Tekel[f]: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

      28 Peres[g]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

      Report Post »  
    • Greenwood
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 10:16pm

      That‘s Daniel chapter 5 not 2 and the hand writting on the wall was for Nebuchadnezzar’s son Belshazzar. The king ( Belshazzar) was praising the false gods and drinking wine from the vessels of gold and silver that was taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem. At that moment the king beheld the hand that was writting. The Medes and the Persians are represented by the silver in the image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

      Report Post » Greenwood  
  • bullcrapbuster
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:17pm

    Let’s not be too quick to get behind this protest. Is this a Sorro’s type uprising? Arab spring? One world order strategy? Who is really organizing this? Do we have more useful idiots? Just saying. BTW I lived in Russia for eight and one half years so I know a little about the mind set there. There are still plenty of hard core communists there and Putin in not perceived by most Russians to be enough of a socialist. His admin is seen more as an oligarchy.

    Report Post » bullcrapbuster  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:34pm

      If you spent a lot of time there & still have contacts, then keep posting please.

      I figure people like you are the only way to get around news censorship by AP, UPI & Reuters.

      Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 7:08pm

      Yes. I find it rather remarkable that the Russian Communist Party does not support Putin’s United Russia Party. Guess KGB Putin is too much of a “capitalist ” to have the Communist Party’s support. He had better gather his old KGB buddies close as the International Lefties sure seem to be on the move all over the globe. Will the Communist Party Occupy Red Square ? Rather doubt it….

      Report Post »  
  • recoveringneocon
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:15pm

    Remember any, and I mean any Government has to vent this angry toward someone or something to stay in power. Everywhere in the world Freedom and Liberty is dieing. Take a good look around and you will see events leading towards ww III.

    Report Post » recoveringneocon  
  • paulusmaximus
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:13pm

    This is about Russia not the U.S. Is this a end to Communism? I doubt it. There have been rallies supporting Communism there just lately. More likely it is the end of Putin who is about to be pressed out by all groups.

    Report Post » paulusmaximus  
  • ErinLindsey
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 4:58pm

    I’m feeling a little Déjà vu. Seems a little familiar, something I saw about 20 years ago… Not sure what it was tho.

    Report Post » ErinLindsey  
  • LiveforFreedom
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 4:49pm

    See Obama people don’t WANT your Socialist government crap anywhere anymore!!!!

    Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:55pm

      Obama is a socialist.That is why he hates the constitution. It says what the government can’t do.

      Report Post »  
  • TXPilot
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 4:29pm

    Looks like the people in Russia are starting to get tired of their Communist masters. I think we will see the same here soon, and no, I’m not counting those ridiculous OWS protestors, because all they are about it envy and wanting a free handout.

    Report Post » TXPilot  
    • riseandshine
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 4:38pm

      I bet the OWS attendees would vote for Paul over Obama 2-1….and Obama and Paul are polar opposites.

      Report Post » riseandshine  
    • KickinBack
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:02pm

      On the contrary, it’s the Communist party in Russia that has gained in this last election, albeit still a distant second place finish.

      Report Post » KickinBack  
    • YepImaConservative
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 5:57pm

      > RISE. Shiite.. Obama and Paul polar opposites? Looked good in print when you wrote it eh? C’mon now…. wishful thinking won’t make it so… foreign policy speaking that is, lol. Actually Paul looks more the leftist Liberal than Obama in some respects foreign policy speaking that is…

      Report Post » YepImaConservative  
    • Rational Man
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:12pm

      If this thread was about growing daisys, some idiot would chime in and say Ron Paul is the best gardner. Trolls!

      Report Post » Rational Man  
    • riseandshine
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:30pm

      Obama is closer to Bush then Paul…and being the simpleton that I am, that‘s all I’ve got to say about that.

      Report Post » riseandshine  
    • riseandshine
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 6:52pm

      No matter who wins the election..that is if we make it that long…this country is in a world of hurt. Though I would like to see Paul get a shot in the Whitehouse, I don‘t know who I’ll be voting for at this point, I’ll have to see how things play out in the coming months….it certainly won’t be Obama.

      Report Post » riseandshine  
    • riseandshine
      Posted on December 10, 2011 at 7:29pm

      @Rational Man…I was replying to a comment about the OWS crowd. My point was that they aren‘t all in Obama’s socialist camp, like we’ve been led to believe.

      @Yep I’m a conservative….I like Ron Paul’s foreign policy. You have a different opinion. So be it. Merry Christmas

      Report Post » riseandshine  
  • HKS
    Posted on December 10, 2011 at 4:27pm

    I think they are showing us what we have to look forward to.

    Report Post » HKS  
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