Press Release, 03.07.2014
YABLOKO activists picketed the administrative board of the Krilatskoye district, Moscow, demanding to return the information materials of Irina Kopkina, YABLOKO’s candidate for Moscow City Duma deputy. Yesterday they picketed the Prefecture of the North-West Administrative District. Last week YABLOKO received an anonymous phone call from a voter who said that the stolen newspapers of the YABLOKO party were kept in the building of the administrative board of the district.

Irina Kalmykova. The placard runs “Prefecture of North West Administrative District, return the stolen newspapers” and shows photos of the stolen newspapers which were found in the administrative board

A few minutes after the picket started three strong-built men who came out of the administrative board building surrounded YABLOKO’s activist Irina Kalmykova

The men refused to introduce themselves and told YABLOKO’s activist that she was picketing the wrong place. Then they called the security guards.

The security called the police who said the picket was unlawful. This way he showed the ignorance of the law as one-person picketing do not need authorisation.

YABLOKO’s Irina Kopkina explained the police officers that the activists didn’t violate the law. So, the police left the activists alone and explained the administrative board staff why the couldn’t detain the protesters.

At that time a car with a pass ticket to Moscow Mayor’s Office on the windscreen arrived at the place.

A man came out and started to film the picket and ask questions to YABLOKO activists. Then the man and the police left.

But the activists weren’t left alone. Six street sweepers came and started to sweep the doorsteps of the building. They’ve been doing it for an hour and a half. At the same time a tractor with trailer which brought about a ton of water in a barrel arrived.

The workmen started to water the doorsteps of the building pretending they were cleaning up the place.

Four barrels of water were spent within an hour and a half. The jet of water was forwarded exactly to the place were YABLOKO’s activists stood. As a result Irina Kalmykova got wet through.

However, YABLOKO’s activists didn’t give up and the tractor left in an hour and a half. The picket lasted for another hour.

Photos of yesterday’s picket:

Candidate for Moscow City Duma elections Irina Kopkina