Three members of a well-known Russian metal band –Korrozia Metalla – were arrested in the middle of a concert on Saturday and charged with displaying "Nazi symbols," authorities said.
The three band members aged 19, 42 and 57 are accused of "propaganda or public exposition of Nazi accessories or symbols,",said regional police in the western city of Nizhny Novgorod.
"Police officers with the support of the national guard arrested three members of a music band in one of Nizhny Novgorod's clubs," police added in a statement.
The offence is usually punishable by a fine or a short period of administrative detention.
Police said they seized T-shirts and books "displaying banned symbols."
Band leader Maria Rounova told state news agency TASS the motifs in question are "old Slavic symbols."
In images shared on social media, security forces can be seen bursting into the concert hall and forcing spectators to lie down on the floor.
Since Russia sparked the conflict in Ukraine more than two years ago, Moscow has cracked down on dissent with free expression increasingly under pressure.
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Comments ( 1)
"the motifs in question are "old Slavic symbols". More info please.
Apparently russian children using the colours blue and yellow in flag or rainbow drawings could land them in an orphanage and their parents in jail. It's hard to imagine putin's oppression sinking much lower than that. We are told by his state controlled media that russian people seem to enjoy this though. At least thats what putin's approval rating indicates in the state controlled polls.
So what's the latest in putin's suppression of freedom?
No 6 string guitars (together three representing 666), no easter bunnies, triangles or circles now illegal? Are eggs as a symbol of rebirth now banned? Many folks were wondering why such an easy to produce 'backyard protein' could be in short supply.