MOSCOW, March 16 (RIA Novosti) – Members of the Russian Opposition Coordination Council have announced their decision to hold two mass rallies in April and May, the council’s member Alexei Navalny announced on Instagram on Saturday.
The first rally is scheduled for April 6 on Pushkin Square and the second will be held under the slogan “For Freedom!” on May 6 on Bolotnaya Square to mark one year since the protest, which sparked clashes between the opposition and police ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration.
Those events have led to the so-called “Bolotnaya case,” in which more than a dozen defendants face charges ranging from inciting mass unrest to using violent force against law enforcement officials.
The Coordination Council, which was formed in October 2012 and convenes once a month, also plans Saturday promenades with white ribbons, the opposition’s symbol, in downtown Moscow.