• Power. 20 years of 'controlled democracy' by Vladimir Putin

Some 50,000 people took to the streets this Saturday in Moscow to ask for "free elections" in Russia . It is the largest demonstration in the country since the mobilizations against the exclusion of independent candidates in the local elections next month.

The bad weather in Moscow has not dazzled the fourth consecutive weekend of protests . In spite of how hard the response of law enforcement was the last time and the absence of some of the opposition leaders, many of them arrested, the mobilization continues to grow in Moscow. There are more than 106 detainees in this last call.

While the protests were unleashed again in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared near Sevastopol (on the Crimean peninsula that was annexed in 2014, leading to the start of sanctions against Russia) aboard a black motorcycle and accompanied of the legendary band of Russian 'bikers' Wolves of the Night , who gave him even one of his fur hats.

"You have a wonderful tradition supporting the best things that can be in the heart of a Russian person," said a grateful Putin to his 'wolves', who love riding a motorcycle on the peninsula taken from Ukraine after holding a crossed-out referendum of Illegal for the West.

Away from this party of leather jackets and sunglasses, 49,900 people took to the streets in the Russian capital, according to the White Counter organization, specialized in the count of protesters. Citizens carried banners that demanded their "right to vote." Others formed corrillos, waved Russian flags and showed photographs of activists detained in previous demonstrations. Even demonstrators dressed as pirates, children and many older people were seen . According to the capital's police, only 20,000 people attended the demonstration.

Putin has lived the latest protests from afar. During the last mobilization he was in a submarine in the Gulf of Finland.

But this time the seizures were not only in Moscow. Several demonstrations started in other cities in Russia, such as in St. Petersburg where there were 80 arrests . Or in Rostov-on-Don, where six people were arrested, according to the OVD-Info entity. The quiet city of Voronezh also joined mobilizations that have long been not only a thing of the capital.

Candidacies rejected

This series of demonstrations began after 57 independent nominations were rejected for local elections on September 8 at the Moscow Local Assembly, which has some important functions related to budget control but above all it is a coveted showcase for the opposition. The elections are going to be complicated for the official candidates in a context of social unrest and wear of the government party brand, United Russia, which has already been placed in the background by the favorites. Near the Presidential Administration building, protesters shouted "Putin thief!" . On Sakharov Avenue, surrounded by police cords, several protesters drew gay flags and waved them in the wind.

In Moscow, Russian riot police surrounded the Presidential Administration building after a crowd gathered nearby. "I'm tired of the police abuses, they hit people," a protester complained to Radio Svoboda. According to Russian laws, the organizers of mass meetings have to agree on the place and also the maximum participation with the authorities. Protests outside the agreed site are considered illegal. In the capital alone, more than 3,000 people have been arrested in the previous two weekends .

Saturday's call, which had permission from the authorities but was controlled at all times by a large police presence, began with a large influx in the rain. It was soon limited to Sakharov Avenue, east of the center of the Russian capital, while police reinforced areas such as Kitai Gorod or Lubianka, where the headquarters of the security service, the FSB, is located.

Registers to opponents

The hard hand is also reflected these days in the numerous records against opponents or simple protesters and the opening of an investigation for money laundering to the organization of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Opponent Lyubov Sobol, an ally of the Navalny leader , said on social media Friday that the police had stopped her before the protest. The Interior Ministry explained that "some organizers" of the march had reported that Sobol and other protesters were preparing provocations.

Some journalists, such as Alexander Gorojov (from 'Mediazona') or Anton Baev from ('The Bell'), were detained for a short time while covering the demonstration. "One of the detainees was beaten while being taken away," said a journalist from the Russian media Meduza. "I am outraged by this injustice. They do not let candidates present who gathered the necessary number of signatures. They arrested people for demonstrating peacefully," Irina Dargolts, 60, complained to AFP.

On August 3, an unauthorized demonstration was held at the Ring of the Boulevards in central Moscow, a week after another similar protest. According to the Ministry of Interior, some 1,500 people participated in these protests and 600 protesters were arrested "for different offenses . " The protest on July 27 ended in clashes with agents. During the protest, protesters challenged police orders to disperse and tried to break a police cordon several times, according to the official version. There were several clashes between the uniformed and the protesters. According to the Russian Interior Ministry, 1,074 protesters were arrested.

PUTIN MOTOR PARTY

Putin avoided these demonstrations by visiting the international motorcycle show 'Shadows of Babylon', organized by the motorcycle club Lobos de la Noche. The president was accompanied by the Prime Minister of the annexed Crimea, Sergei Aksionov, and the interim governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev.

It is the eleventh edition of the motorcycle show 'Shadows of Babylon' held in the Crimea, which started before the annexation. "I am very happy that these brave and great guys are an example for the young people of our country and show them how to relate to Russia," Putin said.

These shows always have a marked patriotic tint : "Motorcyclists are based on stories of Soviet and Russian history, generally associated with important military victories," according to the Kremlin website.

In March the Night Wolves set a record by celebrating five years of what Moscow calls the "reunification" of Crimea : they displayed the largest flag in Russia. A 70 meter long and about 20 wide school was exhibited at the clubhouse in Crimea. Dozens of people were needed to deploy it, including motorcyclists from different regions and local residents.

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