More than 200 arrested at Moscow police abuse march

More than 200 people including opposition leader Alexei Navalny were detained yesterday as police sought to break up a peaceful Moscow rally against the alleged impunity of law enforcement agencies. Russian police in riot gear moved in against the unsanctioned march of more 1,000 people amid screams of protesters shouting “you are criminals” and “stop police terror.”

Moscow police said around 1,200 took part in the march and more than 200 people were arrested. As police dragged protesters into vans the crowd yelled: “Shame, on Russia Day, this is our country’s day! Have you forgotten the constitution?” Some of the arrested wore T-shirts in support of Ivan Golunov, an investigative journalist who was last week arrested on trumped-up drugs charges.

One detained activist brandished a placard saying, “I am Ivan Golunov” in the window of a police van. At least four journalists were detained including a producer for Der Spiegel, a German news magazine.