Demo to support Pussy Riot in Montréal Aug 2
More : Anarchopanda, Feminism, Pussy Riot, Russia
Russian punk rockers Pussy Riot are in the midst of a show trial in Moscow that harkens back to the old Soviet days. Only this time, instead of being imprisoned for merely opposing the state, three women stand charged with “hooliganism” based on religious hatred. Student strike mascot Anarchopanda will host a demo in Montréal in support of the jailed band-members this Thurs. Aug 2 at 6:30pm.
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Feminist punk band Pussy Riot pleaded not guilty to charges of hooliganism based on religious hatred for a music intervention they performed in Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral in February. The feminist punk band, known for their brightly-coloured outfits and balaclavas, performed their protest song “Virgin Mary, kick Putin out!” in response to the growing vocal support from Russian Orthodox leaders for the authoritarian Putin regime, and three members have been in prison for the action since the spring.
Pussy Riot members Maria Alekhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, if convicted, could face up to 7 years in prison, in a country where there brutal justice system boasts a 99% conviction rate. Their trial has so captivated the Russian public, both supporters and detractors, that it was initially supposed to be live-streamed on the internet, a proposal which the judge overruled this week. The charges of “hooliganism” are widely seen by Putin’s critics and international observers such as Amnesty International as “part of a government-ordered crack-down on freedom of expression.” Others fear that the Putin government is using Pussy Riot’s imprisonment and trial without bail to set an example for a growing segment of Russian society which has started to voice opposition to the country’s iron-fisted president. Vladimir Putin has been known for his harsh disapproval of critical media, allegiance to the Russian Orthodox Church, and has been either the country’s Prime Minister for two terms and its President for a third term since his reelection in May of this year.
In an interview with The Guardian, masked members of Pussy Riot who have escaped imprisonment by going underground said that “even if three of them were imprisoned, more Pussy Rioters would rise in their place.” The balaclavas they wear are meant not only for their protection and anonymity, but also that “everybody can be Pussy Riot.”
In the context of the City of Montréal’s ban on wearing masks at demonstrations, it is not known if balaclavas will be the dress-code at tomorrow’s demo, led by student strike mascot and social media personality, Anarchopanda. You can sign the petition for Russian authorities to release Pussy Riot here: takeaction.amnestyusa.org
Rassemblement-manif en solidarité avec Pussy Riot
Demo/gathering in solidarity with Pussy Riot
Thurs. Aug 2, 6:30-8:30pm
Russian Consulate, 3655 ave du Musée, Montréal
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