December 12, 2011

At the Demonstration


At the Demonstration

The demonstration was scheduled to start at 2 pm, so in the morning I visited my university to do a little work in the laboratory.  Two other guys from my lab group also intended to go to the demonstration on Bolotnaya Square.  After class, I went home to drop off my bag.  On blogs and online discussions, they advised us not to bring bags or wear clothing with hoods; if police tried to catch you, there would be fewer things they could grab onto.

The subway was as crowded as it is on weekdays, and lots of people had white ribbons pinned to their clothes.  Some were carrying white flowers, as well.  On our way to the square, we stopped in a flower shop, and they gave us white ribbons free.

The crowds gathered from three different directions.  Every route to the square was controlled by police and troops.  I had never seen such numbers of armed forces before; it was like a movie about civil war.  There was even a police helicopter and an emergency boat in the river.  There was only one entrance to the square, and no one could enter without walking through a metal detector and passing by guards.  The stage was at the opposite end of the square, and we started to make our way through the crowd.  As the Russian saying goes, there was no room for an apple to fall down.  But what surprised me was that everyone was very polite, saying, “Please let me pass by,” or “Sorry, can you move a little, I can’t see the stage.”

Lots of people carried flags and posters. “Give me my vote back!”, “We don’t need no fake elections” (clearly carried by a Pink Floyd fan), “United Russia is a party of crooks and thieves.”  The demonstration embraced a wide variety of very different social movements.  There were communists, democrats, anarchists, nationalists, students, and even children.  Activists distributed written rules of behavior and guides for what to do if arrested by the police or lost in the crowd.  Cell phones barely worked because of the network overload.

Toward the back of the square, you could hardly hear what was happening on the stage, so I started to squeeze through to get closer.  Some of the most popular slogans were “Putin—go away!”, “Russia without Putin and Medvedev!”, “We insist on re-elections!”  I yelled slogans with everyone else, and I was incredibly happy that so many people got up from their computer chairs and took their protest from the internet out into the streets.  Everyone was so pleasant and kind, with beautiful smiles.

The most important thing is that no one wants revolution.  It would be the third one in the last hundred years, and that would be too much for Russia.  The only thing we all demanded was simple and clear—we need re-elections and we need our votes to be counted fairly and thoroughly.  That’s it—no war, no violence, just a fair, legal, democratic government.

It was the biggest demonstration since 1991, and at the end of the day, someone from the stage said thank you to the police.  It was the first permitted opposition action where no one was arrested in Moscow.  Similar demonstrations took place on Saturday in 90 cities throughout Russia.  I hope our actions will have a result.

You Might Also Like

Why I Will Demonstrate
  • January 01, 1990

Why I Will Demonstrate

Victor is a 21-year-old student in Moscow. In this guest post, he explains why he, and so many of his generation, is fed up with Russia's electoral system, and why he will be going out to protest on December 10.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955