Pussy Riot Members Found Guilty Of Hooliganism, Rallies In NYC Show Support (PHOTOS)

Many of you know by now that three members of the Russian punk band and activist group Pussy Riot were found guilty of hooliganism charges today, with Moscow Judge Marina Syrova announcing a prison sentence of two years for the three women who staged the anti-Putin protest in Russia's Cathedral of Christ the Savior last February.

Following the guilty verdict's announcement this morning, small protests were held in dozens of cities across the world, including demonstrations in Barcelona, Paris, Berlin and Washington, D.C.

In New York City, around 40 protestors gathered in Manhattan's Upper East Side, beginning with a small number of demonstrators playing musical instruments in front of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Manhattan. The group of balaclava-clad supporters then moved to the Russian Consulate, where marchers were met by a mixture of English and Russian-speaking participants, many of whom donned paper masks and held signs that read, "Confront Patriarchy" and "We Are All Hooligans."

Crowded into the sidewalks surrounding the consulate, we asked the masked supporters why they had decided to march in support of the jailed Russian women. One unnamed participant shouted, "Because I believe in civil liberties everywhere!" while another masked male said, "We're in a bind worldwide. We're all in the same struggle."

Tweet