In Rostov-on-Don, oppositionists held picket within "Strategy-31"

On October 31, in Rostov-on-Don, a picket was held within the action "Strategy-31". According to Vladislav Ryazantsev, one of the organizers, it was the first time, when the rally had been coordinated by the city administration at once, without litigation; however, during the rally, street lighting lanterns were switched off.

"In vain we were glad about this combination of circumstances. The city administration still managed to impede the action: the lighting lanterns at the Lenin monument and at the entrance to the Gorky park were switched off," told Vladislav Ryazantsev, the coordinator of the oppositional movement "Left-Wing Front" of the Rostov Region, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Comments of the city administration about the lack of street lighting during the action are not available.

According to Vladislav Ryazantsev, about 50 people gathered near the entrance to the park to participate in the permitted rally, which was devoted to defence of freedom of pickets and rallies and to the upcoming parliamentary elections.

"They were activists of the movement "Left-Wing Front", "Other Russia", the United Civil Front, the People's Party of Freedom, "Solidarity", and "Labour Russia". The speakers also mentioned that the forthcoming elections would contradict the Constitution and be a farce; the participants also voiced the proposals to go out to protest in the evening of December 4," added the organizer of the rally.

The participants of the rally attended the rally with posters reading: "Medvedev in the Kremlin - Russia in the rope's end", "They, cattle, steal from the budget, thanks to Putin for that", the "Edinaya Rossiya (United Russia) is the party of tricksters and thieves" and many other posters. The very rally ended without incidents. However, some opposition members have noticed surveillance.