St.Petersburg Sees rare Public Protest as Crowds Defy Censorship with Banned Anti-Putin Song
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - In a rare display of open dissent, hundreds of russians gathered in the center of St. Petersburg on Tuesday to sing a song critical of President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing war in Ukraine, defying increasingly strict censorship laws.
The impromptu protest involved street musicians and members of the public joining together to perform “Cooperative Swan Lake,” a song written by exiled rapper Noize MC, also known as Ivan Alexeyev, 40. Viral videos circulating on social media show the crowd dancing and singing along to the lyrics, which call for an end to Putin’s rule and condemn public indifference to the conflict.
The performance took place against a backdrop of tightening restrictions on artists who oppose the Russian government and its invasion of Ukraine. Protests within russia are infrequent and have historically been met with forceful suppression by authorities. As of Wednesday, it remains unclear whether any arrests were made following Tuesday’s presentation.
“Cooperative Swan lake” has been officially labeled “extremist” by Russian courts.Noize MC himself was forced to leave Russia and currently resides in Lithuania. The song’s lyrics directly challenge Putin’s leadership and criticize the widespread apathy surrounding the war.
