A brief note - the associated picture at MosNews is 'archive' and not
necessarily of this event. It unfortunately looks like the pre-amble to a
Tienanmin Square 'incident'. Phil Innes
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Violence Feared as Anti-Putin Protesters Plan Rallies in Moscow
Created: 13.04.2007 11:00 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 12:21 MSK


MosNews

An anti-Kremlin rally in central Moscow on Saturday could spill over into
violence, march organisers and their opponents said on Thursday, the Reuters
news agency reports. A coalition of opposition groups known as "Other
Russia" predicted that 5,000 of their supporters would turn out for the
protest despite a ruling by the city authorities that it was illegal.
Organisers said riot police could violently disperse the protest as they did
at two previous opposition rallies in St Petersburg and the provincial city
of Nizhny Novgorod earlier this year.

"We don't know how far the Kremlin will go," Garry Kasparov, a former chess
grandmaster who is now a staunch critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin,
told a news briefing.

"We don't want a violent confrontation, it would give the government another
chance to say that such marches are just fights," he said.

The authorities refused permission for the march, saying another group had
already lodged an application to hold a gathering in the same venue. Police
said they would take action against anyone breaking the law. "The thing is
that the march has not been approved by the Moscow government," a Moscow
police spokesman said.

"The action taken by the police depends on whether a march is allowed or
not."
Three other rallies are also planned for Saturday, including one by the
pro-Kremlin Young Guard organisation which has promised around 15,000
marchers, a second by nationalists and a third from the liberal SPS party.

Kasparov said there was potential for clashes between protesters on the
"other Russia" march and the other groups.

The pro-Kremlin speaker of the state Duma lower house of parliament, Boris
Gryzlov, also on Thursday warned potential marchers they could be swept up
into violence.

"People who go onto the streets, maybe even well-meaning, in order to
express their views and positions may not know they could be sucked into
provocation and violence, and could become victims," Interfax news agency
quoted Gryzlov as saying.

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BBC NEWS

Kasparov arrested at Moscow rally


Mr Kasparov was arrested amid a "colossal" police presence


Police have arrested Russian opposition leader Garry Kasparov at a
banned anti-Kremlin rally in central Moscow. He was detained during a
huge security operation to prevent opponents of President Putin
gathering at Pushkin Square.

The former chess champion leads the United Civil Front group, part of
the opposition coalition Other Russia.

It accuses President Putin's regime of trampling on democracy. The
Kremlin says Other Russia destabilises Russia.

Mr Kasparov was seen inside a police van waving and smiling at
gathered media after his arrest, the Associated Press said.

IIf you look at this as a chess game, I'm not the player, I'm the
piece: a very important piece, maybe one of the most important pieces,
but still one of many

Reports say dozens of other opposition activists were arrested, as
well as some journalists.

The BBC's Moscow correspondent James Rodgers said there was a
"colossal" presence by the Russian security forces to stop the
protesters getting to the starting point of the rally.

He said Mr Kasparov's swift arrest followed warnings by the
prosecution office on the eve of the march, stating that anyone
participating risked being detained.

More than 9,000 police had been drafted into Moscow to prevent the
rally going ahead.

The planned march came as Russia warned it wanted the extradition of
London-based exile Boris Berezovsky.

Mr Berezovsky told the UK's Guardian newspaper he was plotting
"revolution" to overthrow Vladimir Putin.

Accusing Mr Putin of creating an authoritarian regime, the tycoon said
that Russia's leadership could only be removed by force.

Later, he clarified his words, stating that he backed "bloodless
change" and did not support violence.

Other Russia has called for another massive march in St Petersburg on
Sunday, which Moscow has also banned.