On April 7, Kirov Pervomaysky court sustained the town hall claim in a dispute with an activist Vadim Ananyin, who wanted to go picketing seeking the set political prisoners free. The officials denied him referring to the fact that the picket resembles a rally, as reported to “7x7” journal by Ananyin.
The activist planned to picketing in front of the town hall on April 8. The officials' response to the notice says that pickets are a form of public event when citizens go to picketed places with banners and posters.
"Neither the place, nor the form and content of the event allow to determine which venue you intend to picket. Thus, the planned event is a rally," the town hall says in its official response.
The officials also pointed to the massive number of participants of the event (53 people declared), which is, in their opinion, likewise a sign of the rally. Since Ananyin did not file notice of the rally, he was refused to hold the event.
The activist challenged the refusal in court. In the response to the claim, the representative of the town hall listed the same arguments as in the response to the notice, and presupposed that 53 people could pose a threat to public order.
Before the proceedings, Ananyin held a one-person picket in front of the Kirov Town Hall. He was holding a poster with the images of the Kirov ex-mayor Vladimir Bykov and the current one Valery Vladykin. It was written there: "Bykov and Vladykin, maintain the Constitution. Give rallies back to people."
This is the second time when the court holds the relevance of the mayor's refusal to conduct picketing in Kirov. Vadim Ananyin filed a notice about the picket seeking the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's resignation. The Kirov Town Hall refused to conform it, considering that this event was similar to a rally.
Rallies in Kirov are banned almost everywhere. The regional law on public assemblies, adopted in 2012, prohibits to hold them at railway stations, airports, shopping centers, markets, in children's and educational institutions, religious, medical and sports organizations, and also near the buildings where they are situated. It is not allowed to gather at the bus stops and playgrounds. Although the pickets do not fall the ban.
Акции при массовом скоплении людей, со звукоусиливающей аппаратурой, плакатами и транспарантами в центре Кирове все же проводятся. 18 марта на главной площади Кирова — Театральной — состоялась акция, посвященная третьей годовщине присоединения Крыма к России. В приглашениях от органов власти мероприятие анонсировали как «праздничное мероприятие». 8 апреля там же состоится гражданско-патриотическая акция «Вместе — против террора». Ожидается, что на нее выйдут представители политических партий, общественники, сотрудники предприятий, молодежь и студенты. Подавалось ли уведомление в мэрию об этом мероприятии, «7x7» выяснить не удалось.
Public events involving mass gathering of people, sound amplifying equipment, posters and banners in the center of Kirov are still held. On March 18, the event dedicated to the third anniversary of the Crimea's accession to Russia took place on the main square of Kirov, Teatralnaya Square. In the invitations from the town hall, the event was announced as a "festive" one. On April 8, there will be held a civil-patriotic event called "Together Against Terror". It is expected that the representatives of political parties, social activists, workers, youth and students will attend it. The “7x7” journal reporters could not find out whether a notice about this event was filed to the town hall or not.
