Russia: Nationwide rallies November 7 (Bolshevik Revolution anniversary)

Event

Demonstrations are set to take place in the capital Moscow and other Russian cities on Wednesday, November 7, to commemorate the anniversary of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and to protest recent pension reforms. In Moscow, participants will gather at 15:00 (local time) at Strastnoy Boulevard and at Pushkinskaya Square, before marching towards Revolution Square. Localized transportation disruptions are expected. In Saint Petersburg, members of the Communist Party and other leftist groups will gather at 19:00 at the Aurora museum ship.

Context

Russia's Parliament adopted the controversial pension reform bill on September 26, which will raise the retirement age from 55 to 60 for women and from 60 to 65 for men. The pension reform was announced in June by Prime Minister Dimitri Medvedev and sparked a wave of protests throughout the country. On September 9, protests held nationwide led to the arrests of more than 800 people.

Advice

Individuals in the area are advised to avoid all gatherings as a precaution.