Differences in opinion or behavior leading to arguments or clashes. - Navalny Memorial Service in Moscow disrupted by a SWAT team
In Moscow, Russia's capital, police officers have cracked down on supporters of deceased Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who gathered for a modest memorial event on his birthday.
Members of a special unit stormed a venue in the city's northeastern region on Tuesday night where around 30 people were present to watch a live broadcast of a Navalny memorial concert in Berlin, according to the non-profit organization OVD-Info. Consequently, nearly 30 individuals were detained, searched, and questioned. A short clip of the incident published by the media platform "Sota" reveals several officers with their faces covered approaching the attendees.
Navalny, who would have been 48 years old on Tuesday, was one of Vladimir Putin's most vocal critics while he was alive. After his unfortunate death in a prison in remote northern Russia in February, his relatives and following have labeled him a political prisoner. His death is shrouded in mystery, with some speculating that it was an assassination as he had barely survived a nerve agent attack in the summer of 2020, leaving him in frail health.
During Navalny's funeral three months ago, an unexpected crowd of thousands of people assembled in Moscow despite the ongoing repression. Typically, protests are quickly suppressed by the authorities, who hastily arrest protesters.
