The Russian opposition has insisted the Moscow government allow 1,500 activists to gather for a rally in downtown Moscow instead of the proposed 200.
Earlier this week, opposition protesters were given the go-ahead to hold a meeting on Triumfalnaya Square for the first time. Many observers said the move was as a result of the sacking of long-standing Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov.
Although the Moscow government allowed only 200 people to rally on Triumfalnaya Square, instead of the requested 1,500, opposition leaders Eduard Limonov and Ludmilla Alexeeva, who organize the protests on the square, described the decision as a "victory".
However, on Friday the Moscow government said it had received a letter from the opposition in which they demanded the authorities meet their initial request to allow 1,500 people to participate in the rally. In the letter, described by Moscow authorities as "provocation," the opposition also urged the government to let them stage the meeting in the square's center, instead of a proposed location nearby.
Opposition protestors attempt to hold rallies on Triumfalnaya Square on the last day of every month that has 31 days in honor of Article 31 of the Russian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly. Luzhkov, who was sacked last month after 18 years in office, was a staunch opponent of the protests.
The square has been fenced off since August, allegedly for the construction of an underground car park, although the opposition dismissed this as a front to prevent further rallies.
RIA Novosti
