Judging by various Russian sources, yesterday’s rally – officially permitted by the city authorities – numbered 50,000 to 60,000 thousand. That’s probably the maximum possible turnout during this dead season of summer vacations and dachas.
When an officially authorized rally gathered some 20-25k on July 20, it was already an unpleasant surprise to the authorities. After two unauthorized gatherings of similar size, on July 27 and August 3, were met with extraordinary police brutality, the number of protesters more than doubled. Yesterday saw new acts of criminal violence committed by the police, or whatever these uniformed thugs are called by their evil masters.