Protest by Russians in Europe, the US, and Georgia for “Navalny”

Protests were organized in many countries, especially in European countries, at Russian embassies following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, with anti-Russian President Vladimir Putin slogans being shouted.

The death of Alexei Navalny, considered the fiercest opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was met with anger and sadness in Europe. Hundreds of people, most of whom are Russian immigrants, took to the streets after Navalny’s death. Protesters gathered mainly in front of Russian embassies, chanting slogans against Russian President Putin, whom they hold responsible for Navalny’s death, and holding banners reading “Putin is a killer.” In the German capital Berlin, according to police estimates, a group of 500 to 600 people gathered on Unter den Linden Boulevard. The group chanted slogans like “Putin to The Hague,” pointing to the International Criminal Court investigating possible war crimes in Ukraine. Police took precautions in the area by closing off the road between the Russian embassy and the crowd with barriers.

In Latvia, protesters placed flowers and candles in front of a portrait of Navalny in front of the Russian embassy in his memory. In the UK, more than 100 protesters gathered in front of Russia’s London Embassy, holding banners describing Putin as a war criminal. In the Portuguese capital Lisbon, hundreds of people held a “silent vigil.” Russia’s embassies were also the target of protests in France, Moldova, and Georgia. In the Swiss city of Geneva, more than 100 people left flowers in front of the United Nations Office and placed Navalny’s portrait. Flowers and candles were also placed in front of the Russian embassy in Zurich. In New York, those angered and saddened by Navalny’s death gathered at the Russian consulate.

It was announced yesterday that Navalny, a 47-year-old opposition leader who has been in prison in Russia since 2021, passed away. The cause of death is not yet known.