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.

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
------------

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.

wrote in message
oups.com...
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.

to continue to set the scene of what sort of protest go UNCHECKED in Moscow,
try this one!

Phil Innes

------

Radical Christians Against Madonna Concert in Moscow
Created: 05.09.2006 14:45 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 14:50 MSK

Some 200 people of Orthodox Christian and nationalist forces have gathered
at Pushkin Square in downtown Moscow for a demonstration against Madonna's
forthcoming Moscow show.

Participants were holding banners and orthodox flags with large crucifixes
placed in the center, Interfax said. After the speeches were over, a huge
poster with Madonna's face was triumphantly torn into pieces.

"We declare a new Holy Inquisition that will fight against the sacrilege of
crosses, icons, Russian Orthodox symbols, including during Madonna's show.
The singer is an advocate of Kabbalah," chairman of the Union of Orthodox
flag-bearers Leonid Simonovich-Nikshich said.

The main goal of the inquisition will be "to fight against slander, rather
than to kill people," he said.

and more background on the political turmoil our garry finds himself in
//Phil Innes

--------

Russia Expects Berezovsky's Extradition From Britain After Revolution
Statement
Created: 13.04.2007 15:26 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 16:20 MSK


MosNews

Russia expects exiled tycoon Boris Berezovsky to be extradited from Britain
where he has refugee status after the billionaire told a newspaper he was
planning a revolution to topple President Vladimir Putin, Reuters news
agency reports.

"We need to use force to change this regime, "Berezovsky said in his
interview with Guardian newspaper Friday.

The statement quickly rebounded on Russia's relations with Britain, already
strained by accusations from London-based dissidents including Berezovsky
that the Kremlin was behind the poisoning death of ex-Russian agent
Alexander Litvinenko.

"The main thing it seems to me is that he has put the British authorities
and the British justice system in an awkward position," Kremlin deputy
spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia has for years been trying to extradite Berezovsky from his base in
London to face corruption charges at home but has been foiled because of his
refugee status.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference: "It is a question for
the British authorities. They know perfectly well what this person is up
to."

When Putin is going to appoint the next president that sounds like a
dictator to me.
Pluse you know Putin would still be running the country from behind the
new guy ...
I will not belive Putin will even step down until i see it .....

Kasp had better be careful he mite have a accident of some kind and get
hurt or killed.

"SAT W-7" wrote in message
...
When Putin is going to appoint the next president that sounds like a
dictator to me.
Pluse you know Putin would still be running the country from behind the
new guy ...
I will not belive Putin will even step down until i see it .....

Kasp had better be careful he mite have a accident of some kind and get
hurt or killed.

that is the opinion of many

phil innes

Even if Putin steps down he will still be the power behind the new Putin
appointed president.

And i do belive Kasp mite get hurt or thrown in jail for awhile ...Maybe
even his family threatened ...He has money , id just move out of that
country ...

The people in power want to keep it because they live well , and screw
the average guy ..

Just go in to a chat room and you can talk to people from other
countries and even Russian people are getting computers now but they are
expensive compared to what they make a month..One guy said he makes the
equivalent 200 $ a month...