A march in memory of Boris Nemtsov was held in Moscow. More than 22,000 people came to the rally on the fifth anniversary of the politician’s murder, according to White Counter volunteers. This is significantly more than in the previous two years.

The fact that this time the procession will gather many participants was clear even before the start. Half an hour before the action, large crowds lined up behind metal detectors.

Those who stood for 10-15 minutes were greeted by a van with a megaphone, announcing the following statement:  “Participants have no right to hide their face, including the use of masks.”  This information was almost useless. Even after a panic at the stock exchanges at the end of last week, Russians continue to ignore the threat of coronavirus.

Around 2:20 p.m. the column moved towards Academician Sakharov Street. At the head of the column - Ilya Yashin, Mikhail Kasyanov, closer to the tail - Alexei Navalny with his wife.

People walked slowly, constantly stopping: the entire boulevard ring was densely filled with people.

In the column there was a symbolism of various opposition parties and movements, both left and right. Many came with posters. The most common poster topics are constitutional amendment, and the Network case. Someone carried photographs of persons involved in resonance cases. Feminists also came (in the course of the movement they shouted “Freedom, equality, sisterhood”) and there were even opponents of the construction of the metro in one of the districts of Moscow. 

From time to time, people began to chant. The most popular slogans: “Russia will be free,” “Freedom to political prisoners,” “Russia without Putin.” They rarely chanted about Nemtsov.

The march gathered 22,300 people, another 200 latecomers were cut off by a police fence in front of the frames, White Counter said. According to police, 10,500 people took part in the rally.

For comparison, last year, according to the White Counter, 10,800 people came to the march. In 2018, the action gathered a minimum number of participants - 7600 people. The maximum number of participants was in 2015 -  a day after the murder of Nemtsov and gathered more than 52,000 people. In 2016, 24,200 people came, in 2017 - 15,000 people.