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Opposition preparing another massive rally

The organisers discussed the financial aspect of their undertaking and admitted that much money is needed for the organization of the rally

MOSCOW, December 20 (Itar-Tass) — A regular meeting of the organizing committee of the December 24 rally was held on Monday. The organisers discussed for the first time the financial aspect of their undertaking and admitted that much money is needed for the organization of the rally, in which 50,000 people are expected to take part. The would-be protesters could help finance the rally through a specially created site. Cultural personalities were among those who urged people to come to the rally.

An appeal of cultural personalities urging “all spectators, listeners and readers” to take part in civil rallies on December 24 appeared in the Internet, Novye Izvestia writes. Some 200 actors, producers, journalists, painters, musicians, film-makers, writers, photographers and TV presenters signed it. “If we wish to change anything, we should rally a great number of people. Attempts will be made to defame, frighten and provoke us, to say that we are victims of political technologies. Do not yield to it. We shall fight for our rights with high spirits and in a benevolent mood. The process is just beginning. See you at the rally,” the appeal said.

A special group was created in the Facebook social network on Monday for raising money to be spent on the December 24 protest action, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. Olga Romanova, a journalist, urges to donate money for the rally, so that it would be civil in all ways, including finances. The users respond eagerly to the appeal, but suggest that the estimate of the money spending should be placed in the Internet. Olga Romanova explained that she was in charge of money raising, and of nothing else. It is the organizers of the rally who will decide in what way the money will be spent. She said most donations they received amounted to 70, 100 or 200 roubles. The biggest donation amounted to 50,000 roubles. According to Romanova, they accept money only from natural persons. The organizers say that three million roubles will be needed for staging such a massive protest action. 500,000 roubles were donated on Monday.

In connection with the protest rallies, a campaign for curbing the circulation of information through the Internet is beginning in Russia, The Novye Izvestia writes in another article. Several senior officials have already supported the idea.