Marches of Dissent Scheduled for March 3rd (Details)

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The Other Russia opposition coalition will stage a series of demonstrations in Moscow and St. Petersburg on March 3rd, the day after Russia holds presidential elections. The protests, known as “Marches of Dissent” will also be held in a number of Russian regions, and will let Russians publicly speak their minds about the political climate in their country.

Moscow authorities have blocked attempts to legally register the protest there, claiming that the “Young Russia” pro-Kremlin youth group has already planned gatherings in every large public meeting point in the capital. They have refused to negotiate with The Other Russia, or provide an alternate route. The Other Russia plans to question the decision in court, and will go ahead with the demonstration.

In St. Petersburg, city officials have re-negotiated the route of the March. Protests will also be held in dozens of Russian regions.

The primary slogans of the demonstrations will be: “Down with autocracy and succession!” “All power to the Constituent Assembly!” and “False-Dmitri out of the Kremlin!”

The nationwide protest action will commemorate a historic day in Russian history, when the Romanov dynasty abdicated power to the Constituent Assembly in 1917.

“The systematic and massive falsifications allowed in the December 2nd Parliamentary elections, and the designation of March 2nd as the formal date of power transfer from Vladimir Putin to Dmitri Medvedev violate the democratic foundation of the Russian Constitutional system,” the coalition wrote in a statement.

Past demonstrations have drawn thousands of participants, and have frequently been met with violence on the part of law enforcement. During the most recent set of protests in November, Garry Kasparov, the chairman of the United Civil Front, and a leader of The Other Russia coalition was arrested and jailed for five days.

Cities / Times / Locations

The following information will be updated as further details are released.

Moscow:
When: March 3rd, 2008. 17:00 Moscow time
Where: Turgenevskaya Ploschad (near the Chistye Prudy and Turgenevskaya metro stations)

St. Petersburg:
When: March 3rd, 2008. 1700 St. Petersburg time.
Where: Outside the Oktyabrsky Large Concert Hall (http://www.bkz.sp.ru/ ) (near the Ploschad Vosstania metro station)

Afterwards, an “Other Music” rock concert featuring St. Petersburg musicians will be held in the Chernyshevky garden, the end-point of the demonstration.

Tambov, Tambov Oblast:
What: A picket in support of the Marches of Dissent
When: March 3rd, 2008. 1500 local time.
Where: Outside the representative office of the president in Tambov, Ulitsa Internatsionalnaya (International Street), house 33.

Irkutsk, Irkutsk Oblast:
What: A meeting in support of the Marches of Dissent
When: March 3rd, 2008. 1700 local time.
Where: Outside the offices of the regional administration

Kaluga, Kaluga Oblast:
What: A “Meeting of Dissenters”
When: March 3rd, 2008. 1600 local time.
Where: Staryi Torg Ploschad (Staryi Torg Square), in front of the offices of the regional administration

Syktivkar, Komi Republic:
What: A meeting in support of the Marches of Dissent
When: March 3rd, 2008. 1700-1830 local time.
Where: Stefanovsk Ploschad (Stefanovsk Square).

Omsk, Omsk Oblast:
What: A picket of citizens dissenting with the anti-democratic model of succession
When: March 3rd, 2008. 1700-1800 local time.
Where: The square outside of the Muzikalny (Musical) theater.

Ulan-Ude, Buryat Republic:
What: A picket of The Other Russia coalition
When: March 3rd, 2008.
Where: The square of the 1905 Revolution

Pskov, Pskov Oblast:
What: A meeting of the opposition.
When: March 3rd, 2008.
Where: Letny Sad (Summer Garden)