Far-right nationalists can no longer call on mass support for Unity Day protests.
The Russian authorities stopped far-right and ultra-nationalist marchers carrying some of their banners on Saturday, deemed “too offensive”, so the groups involved cancelled their planned march in Moscow, and a number
were arrested.
Every year the groups, opponents of Vladimir Putin, march on Russia’s national “Unity Day” and every year their numbers decline. The movement has been further weakened by a split between those supporting the breakaway Ukrainian east, and those nationalists who see common cause with nationalists in Ukraine fighting the pro-Russian separatists. In all some 30 arrests were made.
In another march anti-immigrant and anti-abortion protesters could call on similar numbers, around 2-300.
Vladimir Putin took part in the official Unity Day celebrations with the head of the Russian Otrthodox church Patriarch Kirill.