Alwaght- Russian Riot police clashed with protests across the country on Sunday, detaining more than 5,000 people who took to the streets in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
It marks the second weekend in a row where crowds have turned out to show support for the jailed anti-corruption activist, who is currently awaiting trial for breaching the terms of a suspended sentence for fraud.
In a massive show of force, police imposed a sweeping security lockdown in the heart of Moscow, sealing off streets to pedestrians near the Kremlin, closing metro stations and deploying hundreds of riot police as snow fell.
Police said protesters could face criminal prosecution for attending or calling for an unauthorized demonstration and warned they could spread COVID-19.
Navalny’s allies used social media to repeatedly change the location of their rally, scattering the crowds over different parts of Moscow and making it harder to disperse.
At least 5,021 people were detained nationwide, including 1,608 in Moscow, according to OVD-Info, a protest monitoring group.
