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

The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
At the Circus

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Steppe / Степь

Steppe / Степь

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
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. 
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
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.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

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