Moscow authorities have granted permission to hold the nationalist Russian March in southern Moscow's Lublino neighborhood on Nov 4, TV Dozhd reported. According to Yuri Gorsky, one of the march's organizers, the authorities finally granted the nationalists a permit after refusing their previous four applications.
"They say that yesterday there was a meeting until late in the night, and the stars leaned in our favor. They agreed upon the march," Gorsky told Dozhd TV.
The march organizer said that two different applications for a march permit had been combined — one for 10,000 participants and another for 5,000. After the authorities in Moscow's Northwestern district refused the organizers' previous application, the nationalists announced that they would enact "plan B," a march without banners or flags. Gorsky said he believes that the city officials granted them permission to hold the march because they didn't want the organizers to "activate plan B."
The nationalist Russian March has been held on Nov. 4 since 2005. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, last year's Russian March attracted only 500 participants, the lowest figure in its entire history.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
