In Stavropol, action in support of All-Russian "March of Millions" gather more than 100 participants

Today, the centre of Stavropol hosted a protest march, organized by the city opposition movement "Narodnaya Volya" (People's Will). It was attended by about 150 persons, and the action ended with a rally in Castle Hill Square.

Policemen did not interfere with the march

The march was started at 12:00 a.m. from the entrance to the "Central" Park, where the regional public reception of President Vladimir Putin was located. According to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, the common column consisted of about 120 persons of all ages, but mostly young people.

Prior to the beginning of the action, during the formation of columns, each participant of the marches got on his or her lips painted red cross as a symbol of censorship. Several activists, marching in front of the column, unfolded white sheets of drawing paper, which also symbolized banners and posters. They bore no slogans.

The procession was headed by activists of the movements "Narodnaya Volya" and "Patrioty Stavropolya" (Patriots of Stavropol Territory); they were carrying a 1.5-meter cardboard dummy of a two-headed rat with a crown on both heads. Several passers-by, who followed the way of the column, also joined it.

According to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, the number of police and FSB officers near the protesters was not more than 15 persons, and they did not start conversations and conflicts with marching people.

In an orderly manner, the column marched along October Revolution Avenue to Castle Hill Square, where there was a group of activists of the "Union of Communist Youth" and the "Yabloko" Party, loudspeakers sounded the songs "Homeland" and "Revolution" of the "DDT" Band and of Yuri Shevchuk.

Rally at Castle Hill held under slogan "Stavropol against Putin!"

In the square, the sanctioned rally, organized by the Regional Branch of the "Yabloko" Party was started. The participants of the action formed a semicircle around a makeshift stage, and flags of the "Yabloko", the "Union of Communist Youth", and the "Left-Wing Front" Parties were waving above the crowd. A large group of older activists of the "Union of Communists of Stavropol Territory" held red flags in their hands, and a group of young nationalists held a banner with a picture of gyral. Two young people a boy and a girl, activists of the "White Ribbon", held in their hands sheets of paper with printed number "31" the logo of the actions "Strategy 31".

Besides, the participants of the action held posters with slogans reading: "People get poorer, and officials and oligarchs get richer. How could it be connected with Putin?", "For responsible, effective, and legitimate power!", "THEY want to tighten nuts, and WE overturn thread!", "Only bullets can defeat corruption!", "Russia without Putin!", "We will not let to drag Russia into whirlpool!", "Voluntary slavery is most ignominious one", "Coup came back?", "Voice of freedom cannot be silenced by law, written by louse".

In a conspicuous place near the edge of the stage, two schoolboys stood and held a large drawn poster reading: "Stavropol against Putin!"

At rally, speakers claim expected growth of social protest

At the rally, most speakers talked about the new law toughening administrative penalties for unsanctioned public actions, which recently came into force.

Vasily Krasulya, the leader of the NGO "Congress of Intellectuals of Stavropol Territory", reminded of yesterday's searches of the Moscow apartment, belonging to opposition leader Alexei Navalny. According Vasily Krasulya, those searches represent evidence of fear felt by the authorities.

Vasily Krasulya predicts an increase in pressure on the opposition connected with the growth of social protest, given significant increase in utility rates from July 1 and the "second wave" of the global economic crisis, expected this fall. According to Vasily Krasulya, the passivity of the authorities contributes to worsening of those trends.

He also told from the tribune the people, gathering for the rally, that, together with other politicians, he initiated the all-city referendum on return of direct election of the Mayor of Stavropol.

In the final resolution of the rally, adopted unanimously, the participants of the protest action demanded that President Vladimir Putin should resign voluntarily and that the State Duma of the Russian Federation, elected in December, should be dismissed. Besides, the protesters demanded to adopt new law on elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation and declared the need for elections of regional governors, which would not include requirements of "filters".