At least 5,135 people were detained at protests across Russia on January 31, according to OVD-Info. This is a record number for any protest rally in modern Russian history.
Protests were arrested in dozens of Russian cities. The number of protesters varied. In the regions, the largest protests took place in Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk.
The centers of Moscow and St. Petersburg, where protesters were supposed to gather, were blocked in advance. As a result, demonstrators in the Russian capital marched toward the Matrosskaya Tishina prison, where opposition leader Alexei Navalny is being held. Protesters split up into several columns which, according to Meduza, included thousands of people. Police responded with mass arrests in various locations in the city — including violent repression of people walking from the Matrosskaya Tishina jail. Protesters were repeatedly tasered during the day.
In St. Petersburg protesters were gassed and tasered as well as intimidated with service weapons. The protesters were unable to enter Nevsky Prospect, but marched from the Theater of Young Spectators to the building of the City Legislative Assembly and back.
The law enforcement agencies detained at least 5,135 people during protests across Russia. Most of the detainees were in Moscow (1,450), St. Petersburg (997), and Krasnoyarsk (194). More than 80 journalists were also detained during the day.
