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Unauthorised rally in Pushkin Square ends peacefully

The unauthorized rally in Moscow’s Pushkin Square is over, Itar-Tass reports

MOSCOW, March 17 (Itar-Tass) — The unauthorized rally in Moscow’s Pushkin Square is over, Itar-Tass reports.

People are dispersing, but around 70 people remain in the square, including reporters.

All in all, several hundred people participated in the opposition action that was not sanctioned by the Moscow authorities.

Organisers planned initially to demand freedom to political prisoners, but all slogans boiled down, mostly, to accusations against the NTV television company and traditional – “re-elections”.

The action was to pass in the format of a meeting with State Duma member Gennady Gudkov, but instead his son, also a State Duma member, Dmitry Gudkov came to the Pushkin Square. He blasted the NTV television company. Gennady Gudkov arrived at the end of the rally and spoke of the need “to depolitisize” the Criminal Code.

The rally was also addressed by Boris Nemtsov, Ilya Yashin and Olga Romanov whose husband – businessman Alexei Kozlov was sentenced to five years behind bars several days ago for swindling.

According to a tradition, the rally was also addressed by Left Front coordinator Sergei Udaltsov who said that a “March of millions” would be held in Moscow on May 6.

Police officers, although warned that the rally was illegal, did not interfere with its staging. No violations of public law and order were recorded.

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