Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova was arrested in Moscow following a protest she was involved in, with fellow activist Katherine Nenasheva. The pair were protesting whilst wearing a prison uniform, with Tolokonnikova sewing a Russian flag. After being detained for several hours, they were both released.
Tolokonnikova told Newsweek: “They said it was illegal to sew in a public space, that we should do it at home. An agent said, ‘It’s not a concentration camp, but there are limits’“. A spokesman for the Moscow police said they were arrested for “committing a public nuisance“, according to Newsweek. Tolokonnikova has previously been arrested alongside Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina and they served a 21-month jail sentence for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred“.
Here is a statement from Tolokonnikova about Nenasheva’s protest: “Action “DON’T BE AFRAID”. For 30 days the activist Katherine Nenasheva will be living her regular life wearing a prison robe of a female convict. She goes to exams, takes meetings, goes to the movies, gets groceries, goes out – she continues her daily life. June 12 is the 18th day of Katherine Nenasheva’s action and also Russia Day – an important holiday in Russia that celebrates our flag and Constitution.
On this day I am joining Katherine to sew a huge Russian flag in the same prison uniform that I wore during my time in the prison camps. We will sew the Russian flag on Bolotnaya square, the square that became the starting point for many years in prison for dozens of activists who went out to protest Putin’s regime in May 2012. So here we are, on this square, and we will sew the sign “PRISON CAMP RUSSIA” to the face of the Russian flag on Russia Day“.
#Peace.Love.PussyRiot
