Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova Arrested in Moscow

Photo by Evgeny Feldman

Pussy Riot‘s Nadya Tolokonnikova was arrested in Moscow today. The arrest followed a protest where her and fellow activist Katherine Nenasheva performed regular duties while wearing a prison uniform. As you can see in a photo below, Tolokonnikova was sewing a Russian flag. After being detained for several hours, they were both released.

“They said it was illegal to sew in a public space, that we should do it at home,” Tolokonnikova told Newsweek. “An agent said, ‘It’s not a concentration camp, but there are limits.’” A spokesman for the Moscow police said they were arrested for “committing a public nuisance,” according to Newsweek. 

Tolokonnikova, along with Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina, served a 21-month jail sentence for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.”

Below, read a statement from Tolokonnikova about Nenasheva’s protest:

Action “DON’T BE AFRAID”

For 30 days the activist Katherine Nenasheva will be living her regular life wearing a prison robe of a female convict. She goes to exams, takes meetings, goes to the movies, gets groceries, goes out  - she continues her daily life.

June 12 is the 18th day of Katherine Nenasheva’s action and also Russia Day – an important holiday in Russia that celebrates our flag and Constitution. On this day I am joining Katherine to sew a huge Russian flag in the same prison uniform that I wore during my time in the prison camps.

We will sew the Russian flag on Bolotnaya square, the square that became the starting point for many years in prison for dozens of activists who went out to protest Putin’s regime in May 2012. So here we are, on this square, and we will sew the sign “PRISON CAMP RUSSIA” to the face of the Russian flag on Russia Day.

Nadya Tolokonnikova

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