Alexander Smirnov, Deputy Coordinator of the Yaroslavl headquarters of Alexey Navalny, met Russian President Vladimir Putin with a single picket at the main entrance to the Volkovsky Theater, where the President opened the Year of Theater in Russia. Putin went to the theater by the back door.
On the poster, Smirnov wrote: "Putin, when do you retire?" The police tried to get an explanation from Smirnov, but he refused. Then the police officers and unidentified people in civilian stood in line, protecting the entering. An unknown man in a tuxedo asked Smirnov to leave in order to "not spoil the holiday."
Not far from Smirnov there was a group of pensioners — they wanted to complain to Putin about their living conditions, but neither the activist nor the pensioners saw the president — he сame in the building by the back door.
A large number of police officers were on duty around Volkov Square.
In the theater, the president met with cultural figures. According to "Echo of Moscow in Yaroslavl", Yaroslavl actors did not participate in the play for the president. In the theater, this was explained by the lack of time.
The former director of the Volkovsky Theater, Yury Itin, is accused in the case of the Seventh Studio along with director Kirill Serebrennikov. The musical group of Yaroslavl actors “Volkov-band” devoted their performances to Serebrennikov, their concert in April 2018 was disrupted under the pretext of loud music at a later time.
Daniil Kuznetsov, photo by Alexander Stepanov, «7x7»
