The Ministry of the Interior of the Russian Federation issued a statement saying that participation in uncoordinated gatherings faces administrative and criminal liability.
According to the ministry, messages are circulating on social media calling for participation on March 27 and 29 “in unauthorized public events, as well as in committing other illegal acts.”
“All attempts to hold such events will be stopped immediately, and their organizers and participants will be detained. <…> The Russian Interior Ministry calls on citizens not to respond to provocative statements made by organizers of unauthorized public events, to refrain from visiting the areas they have declared as venues for holding events, and to warn their children, relatives and acquaintances against reckless actions.”
In mid-December, videos appeared on TikTok containing calls to go to rallies against the internet shutdown on March 29. Some videos included veiled messages rather than direct calls to join street protests. The video description contains links to the anonymous Telegram channel “Scarlet Swan”.
On March 25, it became known that the authorities of Moscow and St. Petersburg refused to allow the Scarlet Swan movement to organize rallies against Internet blocking. Applications to participate in events have been declined due to coronavirus restrictions.
Opposition activists and journalists suggested that the project may be a provocation by Russian security forces.
Supporters of politician Boris Nadezhdin also submitted requests to organize anti-blocking rallies. They wanted to conduct operations on March 29 in five large cities of the Moscow region – Krasnogorsk, Khimki, Dolgoprudny, Mytishchi and Korolev. They were refused approval for a similar reason.