MOSCOW - The street protests that erupted in December 2011 had tapped their potential by the beginning of the autumn, said Civil Society Development Foundation Chairman Konstantin Kostin.
“The story that started back in December ended in September 2012. I think the reason is obvious. The motives that encouraged people to fill the streets in December and form the nucleus of massive protests differed strongly from what was said from the rostrum. The difference between the rostrum speakers and the crowd was vivid from the start and this impression only grew stronger afterwards,” Kostin said in an interview with the Russian News Service.
“Concerning leaders that gained prominence or were brought to the limelight by the previous wave of protest, and the background that raised and maintained that wave, this background has fallen apart,” he said.
It is the protest component that has shrunk, not the street action, he said. “I don’t think the street policy is losing weight. But the scope of ‘Bolotnaya Square’ protests has contracted and a different ‘street’ component has remained. The Communist Party traditionally holds a large number of street rallies, and street events were used actively in the 77 regions where election campaigns have just ended,” Kostin said.
