The protesters expressed dissatisfaction with the constitutional changes that will allow President Vladimir Putin to remain in power for another 16 years. About 500 protesters had gathered, and many wore face masks and were partially masked.

The information about the number of protesters and how many were arrested came from the human rights group OVD-info. Neither the police nor other authorities commented on how many had been taken into care.

Crowds are banned in Moscow due to covid-19. But even in ordinary cases, permission from authorities is required in advance to be allowed to protest, writes Reuters.

Constitutional Change

The groundbreaking constitutional amendments were voted through in early July this year.

Most notable is the change that will allow President Vladimir Putin to remain in office until 2036. Current legislation limits a president's term to two, which means that Vladimir Putin would be forced to step down by 2024