Thousands Of Russians Take To Streets In Biggest Anti-Government Protest In Years

Story Description:

Thousands of Russians took to the streets this week in Moscow and other cities to demand the resignation of Russian prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev. Ten thousand people showed up to protest in St. Petersburg and about 20,000 people joined protests in Moscow, making this the largest anti-government protest the country has seen in years. Anti-corruption activist and government opposition leader Alexei Navalny organized the nationwide protests after publishing an investigation that alleged serious corruption charges against the prime minister. Listen to learn more about the mass protests and the motivations behind them. 

Listening Comprehension Questions:

• What was the purpose of the protests in Russia?
• How did the government respond to the protests?
• Why do Russians want prime minister Dmitry Medvedev to resign?
• How does the corruption report from Alexei Navalny’s organization relate to his run for president of Russia?
• Why were some protesters arrested and what do these arrests say about the Russian government when compared with other governments? 

Classroom Discussion Themes:

• Should protesting be punishable by arrest? Why or why not?
• Why do you think that in Russia and elsewhere, so many protesters are young people? What power do you think young people have in government and politics?
  

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