Bicycle Ride in Murmansk Cancelled Due to New Rally Law

A bicycle ride was cancelled in Murmansk, northwest Russia, due to the new law tightening rules for public events, the organizers said at the forum of a local cyclist club.

According to the club’s chairman, local executive authorities recommended the organizers to cancel the traditional Critical Mass ride scheduled for July 15, although the event was announced at the official website of the Murmansk administration.

The purpose of Critical Mass rides, which are held every month in more than 300 cities across the globe, is to attract public attention to the problems of cyclists.

The above-mentioned controversial law, passed in early June, raises fines for violating public rally regulations from 5,000 rubles (around $150) to 300,000 rubles (around $10,000) for participants and up 600,000 rubles ($18,000) for organizers. The law was approved after an opposition rally in Moscow on May 6, which ended in protesters clashing with police.

 

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