Mass arrests
The Russian interior ministry said 500 people were detained at the protest in St. Petersburg, where they said 3,500 people turned out. Police in Moscow said 5,000 protested in the capital, and as many as 850 people were reported arrested. Organizers in both cities said the protest turnout was much higher, and as many as 1,000 people were arrested in Moscow alone. Police arrested opposition party leader Alexei Navalny prior to the start of the rally in Moscow. Navalny was later sentenced to 30 days administrative detention for staging an unsanctioned protest. Navalny said on Twitter: “30 days. Not only that they plundered the whole country, so I’ll miss Depeche Mode concert in Moscow because of them.”30 суток. Мало того, что они всю страну разворовали, так я ещё из-за них концерт Depeche Mode в Москве пропущу.
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) June 12, 2017
Sofia, 22, from Magadan says she owned this rubber duck dress before Medvedev made it cool pic.twitter.com/MiN0CmX0Z4
— max seddon (@maxseddon) June 12, 2017
St Petersburg pic.twitter.com/ADv9vmdDD2
— Jack Stubbs (@jc_stubbs) June 12, 2017
Moscow right now!
— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) June 12, 2017
The faster the #Kremlin regime falls the better – for #Russia and the world.#PutinAtWar pic.twitter.com/XSKf9cjok0
Latest updates
#RussiaDay protests: Reports of 400+ detained at unsanctioned protest on Moscow's Tverskaya Ulitsa; 300+ in St Petes; more in other cities.
— Ben Tavener (@BenTavener) June 12, 2017
Opp politician Yashin:
— kriszta satori (@fulelo) June 12, 2017
-why are you detaining me?
Police:
– you shd've celebrated Russia independence day normally #RussiaProtests https://t.co/yql0jZoS6c
"Может, все-таки назовете причину задержания?" – спрашиваю офицера.
— Илья Яшин (@IlyaYashin) June 12, 2017
"Потому что нормально надо день России отмечать", – говорит он. pic.twitter.com/tnEc8mteC5
Ten people detained at anti-corruption protest in *Norilsk*. The geographical diversity of these protests is quite something. https://t.co/F8nnrpW9XW
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) June 12, 2017
More than 400 arrested in Moscow – OVD-Info https://t.co/9nvZtlT1dH
— Leonid ХВ Ragozin (@leonidragozin) June 12, 2017