The 300-person rally was organized by the Federation of Automobile Owners of Russia (FAR). The police confrontations came only as the rally was already coming to a close.

“The rally had already ended and the police unexpectedly detained Sergei Udaltsov,” said FAR coordinator Sergei Kanaev. “They also beat a woman and a FAR activist. They gave no reason for detaining the rally participants. We had to close the rally.”

Udaltsov explained the situation by phone from a Moscow detention facility. “There was a crackdown. The authorities just needed an excuse for harassment,” he said. “When I left the rally I was detained with no explanation as to why and dragged into a car. And several people fell over. In the station I was told that I was detained for calling people to participate in April’s Day of Wrath rally. Supposedly it isn’t sanctioned and nobody can be invited to it. Yes, I spoke about preparations for the Day of Wrath during my speech at the rally, but that’s just an excuse.” According to Kasparov.ru, Udaltsov was being yelled at to get off the phone during the call, presumably by police.

Despite the detentions, a 50-car auto rally through Moscow organized by FAR proceeded afterwards without incident. Since the auto rally was unsanctioned by Moscow city authorities, FAR had expected people to be detained. Both the rally and auto rally were meant to protest rising gas prices and a government plan to implement “national garages” in Moscow, which FAR claims will do nothing to solve the capital’s intractable parking problems.

No fewer than 100 police officers were present at the rally.

The rally was organized by the opposition movement Solidarity, which has gained significant prominence in Russian politics since its inception little more than a year ago. Movement leaders Boris Nemtsov, Vladimir Milov and Ilya Yashin traveled from Moscow to take part in the event.

With the exception of the Kremlin-backed United Russia, representatives of every political party in Kaliningrad were present at the rally: Solidarity, Yabloko, Patriots of Russia, the Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, and A Just Russia, as well as various regional social organizations.

The basis for the rally was the sharp increase of state duties on vehicle registration, as well as high customs duties on imported cars and increased housing and utilities taxes. Protesters demanded the resignation of Kaliningrad Governor and United Russia member Georgy Boos, as well as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his administration.

An analogous rally was held on the same day in St. Petersburg.

This is not the first time Russian car owners have come together in a large act of protest. Last December, five thousand people took part in a similar rally in Kaliningrad, demanding the annulment of high duties and taxes. The Federation of Automobile Owners of Russia initiated a process to form an official political movement last November, which they say would work to solve “the economic problems of the middle class and small businesses,” suffering from unfair vehicle legislation.