You're reading: The Guardian: Russian police arrest hundreds protesting against Putin pension plan

Police detained more than 800 people across Russia during protests against government plans to raise the national retirement age that have resulted in President Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings slumping to a four-year low.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets on Sept. 9 in dozens of towns and cities after Alexei Navalny, the Kremlin critic, called for nationwide rallies against the pension reforms. Navalny was jailed for 30 days on Aug. 25 on a separate protest-related charge in a move that he said was aimed at preventing him from leading the rallies on Sept. 9.