Russian opposition rallies: LIVE updates
Protesters in Moscow marched along the city's central highway ring, and are demonstrating on Sakharov avenue. 18:09GMT: We are wrapping up our LIVE updates from the rally.18:08 GMT: Police are asking demonstrators to leave the avenue as the 10pm deadline has passed.18:05 GMT: Sergey Udaltsov, leader of the opposition Left Front Movement, has been arrested, RT’s Egor Piskunov reports.14:59 GMT: Sergey Davidis, a leader in the Solidarity political movement, says the official portion of the protest has ended.14:49 GMT: Police estimate that around 1,000 people now remain at Sakharov Avenue.14:45 GMT: Sergey Udaltsov, the leader of Left Front Movement, said that the Russian opposition intends to hold its next protest on October 20.14:44 GMT: Social issues were an expected topic at the protest, but no specific ideas or decisions were put forward.14:32 GMT: One by one, opposition activists are taking the stage and calling for support for political prisoners, new political reforms and for early parliamentary and presidential elections.13:50 GMT: Some 3,000 to 4,000 people remain at Sakharov Avenue, police say.13:40 GMT: No arrests have been reported at the Sakharov Avenue protests. People are leaving the demonstration despite calls by opposition activists to stay longer.12:56 GMT: Police are starting to remove barricades to allow people to leave, RT's Irina Galushko reports from the protest. 12:52 GMT: Police have lowered the estimated number of people at the Sakharov Avenue protest to 11,000. People are beginning to leave the square, witnesses wrote on Twitter. 12:47 GMT: Social issues are taking center stage at the rally; there are many students in attendance holding posters with slogans against proposed education reforms. 11:49 GMT: Around 14,000 people are taking part in the opposition protest, Moscow police say.11:43 GMT: The opposition demonstration has begun on Sakharov Avenue, and communist activists are the first to take the stage there for speeches.11:40 GMT: Minor clashes have erupted between anarchists and nationalists, with police moving to separate the two groups.11:18 GMT: Protesters are shouting slogans like, 'Rights aren't given, they are taken,' 'Russia is a secular country, no to religious obscurantism' and 'Anarchy: Dreams come true.'11:17 GMT: Groups of protesters have reached Sakharov Avenue, with the demonstration set to begin at 12:00 GMT.
11:02 GMT: At least 11,000 people are participating in opposition rally, police report.10:46 GMT: Members of the crowd are arguing over whether the imprisoned members of Pussy Riot should stay in jail, RT producer Lida Vasilevskaya reports on Twitter.10:38 GMT: Part of Moscow’s historical center is closed off due to the opposition rally, causing some traffic problems.10:32 GMT: Supporters of the punk band Pussy Riot are among the protesters.
10:27 GMT: Some 300 people are protesting in the city of Perm in the Russian Urals.10:18 GMT: Police reinforcements stationed themselves on Sakharov Avenue ahead of the demonstration.
10:09 GMT: Moscow police estimate that up to 5,000 protesters are taking part in the rally.10:08 GMT: Police deployed water cannons in central Moscow over concerns of possible clashes
09:47 GMT: Protesters are gathering in Moscow's Pushkinskaya Square for the opposition rally.
