"Putin is a killer."
The funeral in Moscow was exceptionally well attended. From the video the BBC Moscow service took, we are talking about thousands of people. We may be looking at ten thousand from a few other details posted by others.
However, there were significant details at the burial. This was not just thousands of people surrounded by the police. There were moments when it became an antigovernment rally. Here is but an example:
— thousands of people are chanting this phrase as they head from the church to the cemetery where Alexei Navalny will be buried, ASTRA readers report.
There is more. I think, though, this one via MO is more telling:
The funeral procession to the cemetery where Navalny is buried stretched for several kilometers.
The journey from the church to the cemetery will take more than half an hour, reports the MO correspondent. Most people were unable to get to the church for the funeral service, but hope to lay flowers on Navalny’s grave.
The march turned into a protest : the crowd shouted political slogans, accused Putin of killing Navalny, demanded the release of political prisoners. And they continue to shout: “Navalny! Navalny!”
Propagandists are indignant. “The farewell ceremony for Navalny nevertheless turned into a political manifestation. At first people simply chanted, “Navalny, Navalny.” But then they couldn’t resist and began chanting false accusations against President Putin,” pro-Kremlin political scientist Sergei Markov complains on his channel.
That Markov complained is your signal that this did not go as the Kremlin wanted. Even with an extensive show of force, people came. Police lined that route. Every so often, people broke into antigovernment chants. Some even dared say no to war, and Ukrainians are good people. The video captured a few brave souls saying Heroam Slava, glory to the heroes.
You have to realize, in Russia, this phrase has been criminalized. It is seen the same way as open fascist language, never mind that Russia enables Nazi formations like Rusich. This next post addresses the dangers for attendees:
Human rights activists warn of possible detentions after Navalny’s funeral in Moscow using a facial recognition system. In the regions, arrests are expected at monuments to victims of repression
After the funeral, mass detentions may begin, warns OVD-Info press secretary Dmitry Anisimov.
“In Moscow, the facial recognition system using cameras works very effectively. Probably, it was for her that many new cameras were installed at the temple , even inside at the altar, and at the cemetery,” says Anisimov.
“Therefore, we advise everyone who attended the funeral of Alexei Navalny today not to forget our instructions and save the hotline telephone number and the address of our Telegram bot.”
According to human rights activists, residents of the regions may begin to be detained at monuments to victims of political repression , where Navalny’s associates have been encouraged to come. 6 people have already been detained in Novosibirsk.
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