» 01/30/2012 10:02 RUSSIA Opposition invades Moscow ring road by Nina Achmatova Massive turnout for "White Circle" protest: almost 4 thousand cars with a white mark in solidarity with opposition, occupy one of the capital's main arteries, "surrounding" the Kremlin.
Moscow (AsiaNews) - Caricatures of Putin on hoods, white ribbons, balloons, stickers and slogan’s on car windows, "we are tired of being watched”. The latest initiative launched by the Russian opposition, January 29, was a massive motorcade along the Garden Ring (Sadovoe Kolzo) - the ring road that surrounds the center of Moscow – in a sign of solidarity with the movement "For fair elections" that made White the symbol of anti-government protests.
Entitled "The white circle", it followed Moscow's refusal to authorize the next big anti-fraud protest on February 4, on the ring road as requested by the organizing committee.
The authorities had said it was impossible to block the traffic network and so the reply came: "So we'll drive there." Coordinated via social networks, the protest was promoted by the newly formed 'League of Voters', an apolitical organization which brings together representatives of the Russian cultural world and the blogosphere.
The cars started to gather around 2pm (11 Italian) and anyone who wanted to join the protest at the last minute only had to procure a sticker or a white ribbon at booths set up by volunteers of the Federation of Russian motorists. The blogger Alexei Navalny - also in the parade with a car full of balloons and a white flashing light on the roof - suggested to those who had no cars to wave a white ribbon and simply ask for a ride. The famous blogger Ilya Varlamov - one of the founders of the "League" - even launched a contest for the most originally decorated car.
Initially the idea was to travel at a maximum speed of 10 km / h, occupying two lanes of the inner Sodovoe Kolzo (which runs for 15,600 metres). But just half an hour after the start of the event there were so many cars in some places that they occupied 4 lanes, sounding their horns, and forming traffic jams.
The police had been deployed in some crucial points in Moscow, but could not do anything to stop the rally.
Echo of Moscow Radio reported that authorities did not count the cars took to the streets, "because it is an unauthorized rally." According to estimates by Vladimir Ryzhkov, among the political leaders of the protest, at least 3,500 cars turned around out on the ringroad. On the Facebook page of the event were over 4,000 participants.
Signs of solidarity with the drivers also came from some passers-by - as reported by Gazeta.ru - dozens gathered outside the metro stations along the Kolzo waving handkerchiefs or wearing white hats.
The next anti-government demonstration is scheduled for Feb. 4 in Moscow, exactly one month from the presidential vote that should bring Putin back to the Kremlin for the third time.
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