Police continue detention of protesters at unauthorised rallies in Russian cities

Moscow [Russia], January 31 (ANI/Sputnik): Police continue detaining protesters at unauthorised rallies across Russia in support of jailed opposition activist Alexey Navalny.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Perm, central Russia. Several people were detained after police warned against participating in the unauthorized event.
The majority of protesters were detained at the rally in Samara, however, the authorities have refused to name the exact number of participants and those detained. No clashes were reported. The traffic of public transport in the city has been partially suspended.
Several people were also detained during a similar rally in the Russian southwestern city of Volgograd. The police have repeatedly warned that the action was not authorized. The protest ended without clashes with the police.
The unauthorized rally in the Siberian city of Omsk lasted for over two 2.5 hours. The police did not provide information about the number of detained protesters.
Several protesters were also detained in St. Petersburg. Numerous law enforcement units are patrolling the city center.
Last weekend, many Russian cities, including St. Petersburg, were also hit by protests in support of Navalny, who was detained in Moscow earlier this month upon his arrival at Sheremetyevo International Airport. Prior to Navalny's return to Russia from Germany, where he was treated for his alleged poisoning, the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service warned it would arrest him for probation violations as he was previously found guilty of committing two administrative offenses. (ANI/Sputnik)