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Summary Russian opposition mounts massive anti-Putin rally in Moscow Saturday.
Tens of thousands of people marched across downtown Moscow on Saturday in the first major protest in three months against President Vladimir Putin, defying the Kremlins efforts to muzzle dissent.Leftists, liberals and nationalists mixed up with students, teachers, gay activists and others on the capitals tree-lined boulevards, chanting Russia without Putin and We are the governmentThe demonstration showed that opposition sentiment has remained strong, despite the governments efforts to stem the protest movement that had fielded more than 100,000 people to the streets last winter in a series of massive protests against Putins election to a third presidential term.Putin has taken a tougher course against the opposition since his inauguration in May with a series of new repressive laws, arrests and interrogation of activists.In August, a court handed two-year prison sentences to three members of the punk band Pussy Riot for performing an anti-Putin song inside Moscows main cathedral. Some activists on Saturday carried big balloons with balaclava masks painted on the bands trademark headwear.Its necessary right now for all Russians to come out into the streets in order to show the regime that changes are needed in our country, and that without that our country cant develop, said teacher Valentina Merkulova, who participated in Saturdays protest.The most important thing is that, the more Russians come out, the less bloody the change of regime, the change of power, a change of power is necessary.
