Part 14/16:
Citizens Line Up in Moscow
In a rare display of civic protest, around a thousand Muscovites lined up outside the Kremlin’s official reception office to submit petitions—an act deemed a legal form of engagement that bypasses government bans on protests. The participants voiced issues like preservation of green spaces, opposition to toll roads, and social benefit cuts.
Although modest compared to Western protest movements, this gathering marked a significant symbolic act of dissent in Russia’s tightly controlled political climate. The Kremlin appeared to process petitions swiftly, perhaps in an effort to suppress visible signs of discontent.