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Russia’s Annual Monstration Moves Online Amid Coronavirus Quarantine

It's not a siege...it's self-isolation. hellpad / Instagram

For years, the first of May has been the one day a year when Russians can take to the streets to rally for all things illogical and absurd.

The annual event, called the Monstration, is similar to any other protest or demonstration, but its participants purposely carry signs that make no political or even logical sense. The goal is to shake up Russia's rally culture but also to have fun.

With lockdown measures in place across the country to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, this year's anti-protest was held online, giving Russians a bit of comic relief in dark times.

Rallying around a common hashtag — #monstration2020 — demonstrators were not afraid to make their nonsensical, nihilist and nonconformist voices heard in self-isolation. In addition, participants could take part in the demonstration in a video game-like environment

Here's a look at some of the best signs from across the web:

"One like and I'll open the bottle!" journalist Leonid Parfyonov says.

"I'm in the idiot house."


										 					VKontakte / suveniroved
VKontakte / suveniroved

"Where is everyone?"

Vladimir Lenin himself took part with a sign that says "Mom said put on gloves and be careful."

"But I'm without pants."

In the virtual Monstration game, nearly 200 participants held signs with such profound messages as "I want to sleep," and "I am in a world populated by beans" and "Your ad could be here."


										 					Screenshot / Монстрация 2020
Screenshot / Монстрация 2020

It was all fun and games until the virtual "police" showed up with batons.


										 					taygainfo / Twitter
taygainfo / Twitter

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