Photo Essay: Russian political spectrum on parade this May Day in St. Petersburg
Reporter Ekaterina Danilova attended today’s May Day parade in St. Petersburg, Russia where various sectors of civil society came out to mark International Workers’ Day. The parade brought out a cross-section of political forces; from conservative nationalists to anarchists and members of the LGBT community.
All photos by Ekaterina Danilova. Click on any image to launch the slideshow.
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- 37,000 people took part in the May 1st demonstration in St. Petersburg according to official estimates. Many different groups took part in the parade, from supporters of President Vladimir Putin to anarchists.
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- Pro-government and ruling party “United Russia” supporters marched with bands and Russian flags.
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- Pro-government demonstrators celebrated the annexation of Crimea and showed their support for Putin.
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- Children carried the flag of nationalists.
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- The tradition of the May Day demonstration dates from the era of Communist rule and today’s parade attracted many communists. The banner says “Lenin lived, Lenin lives, Lenin will live.”
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- The Communist Party praises the memory of Stalin and calls for a return to the days of the Soviet Union.
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- A small group of feminists joined the democratic part of the march.
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- The banner of the group “Autonomous action” says, “Anarchy is good. You just haven’t tried it!”
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- Children in the group of animal rights activists call for people to stop wearing fur and eating meat. One signs reads: “One fur coat is 18 foxes, 27 racoons, 55 minks and 250 squirrels.”
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- The “Democratic Petersburg” coalition came to their anti-war democratic march with the flags of Russia, Ukraine and EU to show it’s support to the Ukrainian government. Their main slogan says “For the friendship with Ukraine and integration of Russia to Europe. No to USSR 2.0”
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- An LGBT activist dressed in a drag costume of the tsars with a hat in the shape of Putin’s face with Crimea written on the back.
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- LGBT activists marched behind a banner of “Love is stronger than war.”
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- A woman tried to take the sign away from an LGBT activist at the end of the march.
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- LGBT activists kiss at a rally in support of Ukraine after the march.
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- An activist holds a sign opposing war: “Peace to Ukraine.”
