Compared to previous rallies, the police response in most cities appeared milder, with fewer hardhanded detentions — according to the OVD-Info police monitoring website at least 132 people were detained. Most detentions took place in Lipetsk and Yekaterinburg. In Moscow, around 6 people were detained.
The protest in St. Petersburg, Putin’s hometown, elicited a harsher response from law enforcement, with protesters being dragged into police vans with force.
Ahead of Saturday’s protests, authorities also detained key Navalny campaign staff on charges of organizing unsanctioned rallies and some were given sentences.
In Moscow and St. Petersburg, there were many young faces among the protesters, some of whom were clearly underage.