Police and National Guard officers have detained about 600 participants in an unauthorized rally in Moscow on Saturday, the Moscow police told TASS adding the rally brought together about 1,500 people, Trend reports.
"About 1,500 people have taken part in the unauthorized rally in central Moscow. About 600 people were detained for various offences," the police said.
Earlier, 30 people were reported to have been detained, while 350 were said to have taken to the streets.
TASS correspondents reported that a majority of protesters gathered in central Pushkin and Trubnaya Squares. However, almost all of them have dispersed by now. Police and National Guard warned against the gathering and asked the people to pass by, not to commit offences and not to block the pavements. While detaining a protester, an OMON police officer was injured suffering a suspected broken arm and was taken to the Sklifosovky hospital.
The authorities had warned the protesters beforehand about their responsibility and the inadmissibility to break the law. Police cautioned them that provocations could be highly likely at the August 3 unsanctioned rally and urged the Muscovites and visitors to refrain from participating in it.
Moscow’s Prosecutor Office opened an administrative investigation against 15 unregistered candidates to the Moscow City Duma, who had organized unsanctioned rallies on July 14 and 27 ignoring a watchdog’s warning.
After the unsanctioned rally of July 27, a criminal investigation was opened in accordance with Part 1 Article 318 (violence against a public official) and Part 2 Article 212 (participation in mass riots) of Russia’s Criminal Code. According to the Investigative Committee, more than 10 citizens were involved in these offences, as they took the most active part in organizing and holding mass riots in the city center. Six of them have already been arrested in court. Overall, over 1,000 participants were detained, while 88 of them were handed administrative arrests.