Statement by the CS on the "March of Freedom." Adopted yesterday evening. The Coordination Council of the Russian opposition states that the Moscow mayor’s office has effectively banned the March of Freedom scheduled for December 15, thereby violating the constitutional right of Russian citizens to assemble peacefully and without weapons. The organizers of the march took every possible step within their power to ensure that the March of Freedom would take place lawfully and proceed without any incidents. Notice of the intention to hold the political march “March of Freedom” on December 15, 2012, was submitted by a group of applicants within the legally established time frame and in full compliance with all formal requirements of Russian law. The organizers proposed several routes, including ones passing through Lubyanka Square. In the course of further negotiations, the applicants proposed that the mayor’s office approve any route of its choosing, so long as it ended at any one of six central squares in Moscow. Despite having no legal grounds to do so—even though the law provides for a purely notification-based procedure for public events—city officials rejected all of the applicants’ proposals in an insulting and categorical manner. The only argument publicly put forward by the mayor’s office has been that the march would disrupt vehicle traffic in central Moscow. However, contrary to officials’ claims, the compromise route proposed by the organizers—ending along the route “Myasnitskaya Street – skirting Lubyanka Square – Lubyansky Passage”—would have required only minimal traffic restrictions. In particular, it would not have required blocking the main traffic flows (from Teatralny Passage through Lubyanka Square toward Bolshaya Lubyanka and Novaya Square). Meanwhile, the motorcades of high-ranking officials regularly cause traffic jams lasting for hours in the city center. On the day of Vladimir Putin’s inauguration, traffic in central Moscow was completely blocked for several hours—not only for cars, but for pedestrians as well. Supporters of President Putin hold lengthy events in central Moscow that involve shutting down the city’s main transport arteries, without even attempting any prior formal approval of those events. Thus, the arguments put forward are not only false, but hypocritical. The Coordination Council of the Russian opposition declares that, under the present circumstances, every citizen of Russia retains the inalienable constitutional right to decide independently where and when to be. The CS calls on all citizens who find themselves at Lubyanka Square on December 15 not to give in to provocations, regardless of where they come from, not to engage in unlawful actions, and not to enter into confrontation with law enforcement officers. The Coordination Council, together with civic and human rights organizations, will provide legal assistance to any citizens who need it. In urgent situations, citizens may call the contact number 8-917-590-56-31 (“Rosuznik” (a Russian prisoners’ rights support group)). You can see here how the vote on the statement went and what the alternative versions were (transparency is everything to us).
First, dress warmly. Why freeze when you can spend the time pleasantly and do something good for your health. Second, remember that nothing dramatic is going to happen. No stages, no rallies, no organized marches. Don’t get into it with anyone—if a police officer won’t let you through, just go around from the other side. A symbolic presence at Lubyanka Square or in the surrounding area from any side (wherever it is physically possible to get to) is the only thing required of each of us. Third, anyone who doesn’t show up will turn into a pumpkin and hand people like Gorbenko, Sobyanin, and Putin the chance to ban any rallies/marches in the future altogether and steal as much as they like without paying any attention to the so-called people. http://marsh-svobody.ru/
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