Ambush Set for Protest at Russian Central Election Committee (UPDATE)

This evening a “funeral for democracy” protest was set to take place in front of the Central Election Committee offices in Moscow. The authorities have responded by flooding the streets around the CEC building with OMON riot police. Dozens of the violent Kremlin-sponsored youth group members have also taken up stations there and also outside the offices of Kasparov’s United Civil Front. These antagonists have grown increasingly aggressive in recent days, showing no fear of physically assaulting protesters.

With this they hope to provide the pretext of criminal charges against opposition members. The provocateurs themselves are rarely detained in such situations, and almost never charged with any offense. A pro-Kremlin gang attacked Eduard Limonov and a group of his supporters last year. Those who defended Limonov are still in jail while their attackers were quickly released.

UPDATE:

The “funeral for democracy” has take place as planned outside CEC headquarters.  Around 50 people were present, even as OMON special forces repeatedly attempted to disperse the demonstration.  Pro-Kremlin youth groups including “Young Russia” and “Nashi” also attempted to disrupt the picket, blocking surrounding streets, and blasting the Russian national anthem over outdoor loudspeakers. The demonstrators came out to protest fraud and inconsistencies in the December 2nd State Duma elections.