Funeral of Alexei Navalny. People chanted in the street: Vladimir Putin is a murderer
There was pressure to keep Alexei Navalny's funeral “as short as possible.” There were 40 police cars in the area. Slogans against Vladimir Putin were chanted at the cemetery.
Alexei Navalny was buried at the Borisovsky cemetery in Moscow. The funeral of Vladimir Putin's political enemy took place in the Church of the Icon of Our Lady “Quench My Sorrows” in the Marjino district. Only Navalny's mother, relatives and close friends were allowed into the temple. The funeral service lasted less than 20 minutes. There was “pressure” on the rector of the church, Anatoly Rodionov, to make the funeral as short as possible, the Meduza website reported.
Funeral services for Alexei Navalny. 40 police cars near the church
Many people wanted to say goodbye to the Kremlin's criticism. People had been gathering in front of the church since the morning. The queue to the temple was about several hundred meters long. There were also police presence near the church since the morning hours. A total of 40 police cars appeared, reports the Krym Realii website. Additionally, a metal fence was placed along the funeral procession route.
The officers also checked documents and personal belongings of passers-by. There were internet problems near the temple. Navalny's spokeswoman, Kira Jarmush, noted that a live broadcast was held for those who would not be able to attend the Russian oppositionist's funeral. People on the streets chanted: “Putin is a murderer,” Radio Svoboda reported.
Funeral of Alexei Navalny. Slogans against Vladimir Putin were chanted
When the coffin with Navalny's body was brought into the church, the crowd started shouting his name and the words: “we will not forgive.” After the funeral, people who wanted to say goodbye to the Kremlin critic went to the cemetery. They laid flowers and chanted: “Russia will be free!”, “Russia without Putin”, “No to war” and “Love is stronger than fear.”
The day before the ceremony, security was strengthened near the cemetery and the nearby metro station. Additional monitoring was also installed. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in turn, warned Navalny's supporters ahead of the funeral that they could be held responsible for participating in illegal rallies.
