Police in Moscow arrested two women and five children who wanted to lay flowers at the Ukrainian embassy. The photos showed the children holding a poster that read "No war."
The children, aged 7 to 11, were held with their mothers in a police van before being taken to a police station. They were released a few hours later, according to anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova. Arkhipova said the two women arrested were Ekaterina Zavizion and Olga Alter along with Liza, 11, Gosha, 11, Matvey, 9, David, 7 and Sofya, 7.
Arkhipova said police allegedly threatened to strip them of custody of the children. They will face trial and a fine for unspecified charges, Arkhipova added. She wrote: "Parents are in fear."
The OVD-Info website, which monitors protests and arrests across Russia, said children under the age of 14 could not be legally detained for more than three hours.
A 77-year-old artist and activist, Yelena Osipova, was detained by police because she was protesting against the war in St. Petersburg.
Thousands of people in cities across Russia have challenged police threats and staged protests against the invasion of Ukraine. Authorities did not tolerate demonstrations and marches, and participating in them could have serious consequences, including fines, arrests, and even imprisonment.
A total of 6,840 people have been arrested since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine last Thursday.
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Source: Guardian