Among those arrested was Alexei Navalny, 40, the presidential candidate and leading Kremlin critic. The biggest crowds, of at least 8,000, gathered in the heart of the capital. The authorities had refused permission for a march in the centre and hundreds of riot officers were sent to hotspots, where they dragged people to waiting police vans. Thousands took to the streets in St Petersburg, where police made 130 arrests. The protests were called by Mr Navalny, who announced…

Source: The Times March 26, 2017 23:03 UTC