Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was arrested in Moscow today, while on his way to a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin. The protests were organized by Navalny to encourage Russians to boycott the presidential election in March. Putin is seeking a fourth term as the nation’s leader.
Navalny is Putin’s most vocal critic. He was denied permission to run in the presidential race because of an embezzlement conviction many in Russia believe was contrived.
Protesters were seen in central Moscow carrying placards that read, “they’ve stolen the election from us” and “Elections without Navalny are fake.” Navalny struggled with police officers but was eventually pushed to the ground and then forced into a police vehicle as he was walking toward the demonstrations in Moscow. He called on protesters to continue their demonstrations despite his arrest. Navalny wrote on Twitter: “They have detained me. This doesn’t mean anything. You didn’t come out for me, but for your future.”
Earlier in the day, police forces raided Navalny’s Moscow headquarters. Police said they wanted access to the headquarters because they had received a bomb threat. Several associates of Navalny’s were taken into custody from the building, were Navalny and others were known to conduct live video transmissions.
Navalny gained notoriety by publicizing reports about corruption among top Russian officials, using social media to bypass the State’s control of television.