Hello everyone, Leonid Volkov here again.
Yesterday I visited Special Detention Center No. 2 and met with Alexei; he sends his greetings and thanks to everyone. Special thanks to the volunteers who answered the call and came yesterday to hand out leaflets, and special thanks as well to everyone who responded to the appeal for financial support for the march.
Since the post from the day before yesterday, we have raised more than 800,000 rubles (about 8,000 euros / 8,700 US dollars), which is an excellent result. It has already allowed us, in addition to our street campaign pickets, to hire a team that will distribute 500,000 leaflets to every apartment in southern and southeastern Moscow.
A few words about how our campaigning is going. So far we have held six pickets—not with “cubes,” but with “balloons.” This is because the mayor’s office first started issuing permits for pickets “without the use of metal structures” (with no explanation whatsoever), and then, when we switched to plastic cubes, banned the use of “structures” altogether. The balloons were our backup idea, but seeing how it has turned out, I’m actually thinking it was great that we went with them: they are highly visible and do a very good job of attracting the attention of passersby.
It is especially amusing, of course, to compare our informational pickets with yesterday’s “Anti-Maidan” rally (a pro-Kremlin counter-protest movement).
Here are several good overviews of yesterday (here, here, and here). This speaks to the question of whether we should really be afraid of the “titushki” (paid pro-government thugs) and whether the notorious 85% actually exists. Or are we instead looking at an absurd freak show with extras paid 300 rubles each (about 3 euros / 3.25 US dollars)?
But back to our own work.
Each day there will be more pickets than the day before; we will soon publish a map and schedule for them.
The leaflets are being handed out successfully, and there is no aggression at all from passersby. On the contrary, people readily stop and support the march’s demands. And the more this goes on, the more clearly the idea of holding the march in Maryino looks like the right one: we have something to say to all Muscovites, and they will support us.
Volunteer training is taking place every day—sign up and come along. 2. We are seeing very strong response rates to invitations on Facebook. One in four people who receives an invitation clicks the “I’m going” button. That means only one thing: don’t be lazy—make it a rule to do this every day, like a job. In the morning, spend 15 minutes sending another 50 or 100 invitations to the march to your Facebook friends; it is worth it.
Thank you for your help and support. Spring will not come without you!