Opposition Activists Ask For 50,000-Strong June 12 Rally
Published: May 30, 2012 (Issue # 1710)
MOSCOW — Opposition activists have submitted an application to hold a rally June 12, asking Moscow authorities to approve the attendance of up to 50,000 people in a protest that may serve as the first test of a new rally law that could be approved as early as next week.
“We submitted a notice to City Hall about holding a ‘March of a Million’ event on June 12 in the form of a march and a rally. We’ll gather at 2 p.m., and the beginning of the procession is at 3,” Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov wrote on Twitter.
The march is planned to start from the Belorussky Station and move along Tverskaya Ulitsa to end at Borovitskaya Ploshchad, Udaltsov said.
The first March of a Million event was held May 6 to protest the inauguration of Vladimir Putin. About 450 were arrested after clashing with police, and at least two dozen protesters and around 30 police officers were injured.
Federal lawmakers have been considering a bill that would greatly increase penalties for violating rules at rallies and could be ready in time for the June 12 event. The State Duma last week tentatively approved the bill, which would increase fines from 2,000 rubles to 1 million rubles (from $65 to $32,400), with penalties for organizers climbing from 5,000 rubles to 1.5 million rubles.