50 protesters of unauthorized rally detained in St Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, August 1 (Itar-Tass) -- The police detained about 50
protesters at an unauthorized rally in protection of the freedom of
assemblies in downtown St. Petersburg on Sunday evening, spokesperson of
the regional police department Yelena Sukhanova said.
"After numerous warnings that the action is illegal the protesters
were detained. They are being kept at the territorial police stations,"
Sukhanova said. The detained protesters are accused of administrative
offences, particularly the disobedience to the lawful demands from the
police and the participation in an unauthorized rally. The protest action
began at 6 p.m. Moscow time on Sunday on the Nevsky Avenue near the
Gostiny Dvor railway station.
A detainee can be charged with an attack on a policeman, who was hit
in the face on Sunday. "The offence of the detainee is being investigated.
He may be brought to administrative or criminal responsibility," the
police source elaborated.
The Sunday rally is the tenth protest action under the Strategy 31
campaign in St. Petersburg since 2010. The Strategy 31 campaign is the
movement in defence of the freedom of assemblies that brought together
various opposition organizations. The St. Petersburg authorities
authorized no action of this movement in the city.