Participants attend an anti-government protest in Moscow June 12. Thousands of Russians chanted 'Russia will be free' in a march through Moscow on Tuesday to protest against President Vladimir Putin, shrugging off his tough new tactics intended to quash any challenge to his rule. Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters
Protests Are Looking Permanent In Russia -- Christian Science Monitor
The huge turnout for today's anti-government rally in Moscow, despite recent intimidation tactics, sends a message to Vladimir Putin that he may have to coexist with an opposition movement.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of downtown Moscow today in a show of opposition force which is the clearest indication yet that the pro-democracy movement brought to life by widespread perceptions of electoral fraud last December has become a permanent feature of Russia's political landscape.
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My Comment: I was surprised by the size of this demonstration. The weather was lousy, and the government was intimidating the demonstrators by threatening mass arrests. I know that Putin's position is still secure, but he must now realize that with social media and alternative outlets now available to his opponents .... he will have to live with this opposition for a long time.
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