Russian Police Detain Kasparov

Riot police disperse a rally by the Other Russia opposition coalition
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 24, 2007 9:39 AM CST
Russian Police Detain Kasparov
Members of the National Bolshevik party hold their party flags and torches during an opposition rally in Moscow, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007. Riot police on Saturday detained opposition protesters, including former chess champion Garry Kasparov, after a few thousand people joined an anti-Kremlin rally in...   (Associated Press)

Russian police seized opposition leader and former chess champion Garry Kasparov today at a rally in Moscow protesting the fairness of upcoming elections, the BBC reports. Authorities arrested Kasparov and other leaders of the Other Russia coaltion when they broke through police lines to march toward the election commission. "We should overcome the fear that the regime uses to sustain itself," Kasparov said before being detained.

About 3,000 protesters attended the rally in a broad-based display of dissatisfaction with President Putin. Speakers at the event decried the lack of real choice in the parliamentary elections set for Dec. 2. Putin supporters are expected to win handily. He will step down as president in March but is expected to have a seat in parliatment at that time. (More Garry Kasparov stories.)

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