Photo Gallery Russia Awakens
Police in Moscow block protesters in Pushkin Square in the heart of the city on Sunday, March 26. Protests against corruption have erupted around the country recently, largely led by opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
Police in Russia have reacted harshly to the demonstrations, taking over 1,000 marchers into custody in Moscow alone. The protests took place in 82 cities across the country.
This image is from the march in St. Petersburg. The man in front has painted his face green in solidarity with opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who was sprayed with green antiseptic liquid during an appearance in the town of Barnaul. Because it was difficult to wash off, Navalny continued his appearance with a green face.
Navalny appeared in court one day after the protests. He was sentened to a monetary fine and 15 days in jail. "I was expecting that many people," he said of the protests, "but not in so many cities."
Navalny was detained during the March 26 protests in Moscow. Should he present too great of a danger to Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of next year's presidential elections, there is a good chance that he either won't be allowed to run or that he will be imprisoned.
The protests represent the largest challenge to Putin's leadership in years. They began after Alexei Navalny published accusations of corruption against Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev on his blog.
