Lines, Not Meetings, Symbol of Protest in Russia in 2024, ‘Novaya Gazeta’ Says

Paul Goble
    Staunton, Dec. 29 – Russians over the course of the last 12 months showed their civic solidarity and opposition to Kremlin policies not by taking part in mass demonstrations – doing that has become increasingly dangerous – but by standing in lines for the nomination of Boris Nadezhdin as president, to say good bye to Aleksey Navalny, and to vote against Putin.
    These three actions often are not counted as a form of protest, but they became the symbol of the Russian people’s willingness and ability to engage in protest even when the regime’s repression increases. As such, they deserve to be remembered and become a model for the future (novayagazeta.eu/articles/2024/12/29/ocheredi-protesta).
    Repressive governments like Putin’s and those who want to protest against these regimes are like the offense and defense on the battlefield. Each advance by the one leads to a response. And that means that repression seldom gains any final victories however intimidating it may appear.