On Thursday, November 5th, Pavel Krisevich, a Russian activist famous for his symbolic protests, performed a ‘mock crucifixion’ outside of Moscow’s FSB headquarters. His use of art combined with the motto “Down with the police state!” speaks to the ways in which the power dynamic between the police and the people in Russia maintains the authoritarianism that marks the region, as well as the potential for change towards liberal democracy.
Two military servicemen were arrested for "insulting other peoples' religion" by washing their shoes in holy water in a Kaliningrad cathedral. They were arrested using a 2013 law that criminalizes insulting other peoples' religions, which blurs the lines between church and state.
