In their first denial of an opposition rally, new city authorities on Monday rejected a request to stage a “Day of Wrath” protest later this week on the square across from City Hall.
Rally organizer Sergei Udaltsov said he had been notified that the authorities had refused his request to gather on Friday across from City Hall to protest the recent beatings of Kommersant reporter Oleg Kashin and Khimki forest defender Konstantin Fetisov, Interfax reported.
He said the official reason for the refusal was that the rally might damage the statue of city founder Yury Dolgoruky across from City Hall.
City Hall has allowed several opposition rallies in recent weeks — in stark contrast to repeated bans under Mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s predecessor, Yury Luzhkov.
(MT)
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