President Vladimir Putin is being criticized by activists and the United States for his nation’s lack of respect for human rights, and his regressive democratic policy through his 6 years as president.

Hundreds of anti-globalization activists have been detained by Russian authorities on their way to the G8 summit as they vow to march. It is rumored that unknown scores of potential protestors are also being detained, ejected from trains and planes, assaulted, and put in jail on trumped-up charges even before they reach St. Petersburg. Still, protest organizers are determined to hold more marches, despite a demonstrations ban from the government.

Russian authorities insisted that this year’s G8 summit was not going to be disturbed by demonstrations like the previous violent ones in Scotland and Italy. According to police, the protestors were detained for not officially registering their presence in the city, making it difficult for them to separate who was and was not a protestor.

For protestors to be able to demonstrate they have to get permission from officials. If permission is granted, the only permitted site for protests is an old remote stadium 12 miles (20 km) from the G8 summit. Public transportation has also been shut down in the area. These complications have led to the presence of only 300 demonstrators last Friday when 2,000 were expected. Two thirds of the protesters that showed up were detained by authorities.
Valentina Matviyenko, St. Petersburg’s Governor, was present in the stadium for 20 minutes where she defended the ban on marches saying, “in the circles around anti-globalists, there are unfortunately some radical elements.”

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