Riot Police Block Off Areas In Moscow, Arrest Demonstrators Immediately Following Navalny’s Sentencing

Law enforcement officers in riot gear closed sections of Moscow, Russia, immediately following opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s 3 1/2-year prison sentence Tuesday, photographs and video show.

Riot squads were deployed to Manezhnaya Square and the Red Square in anticipation of protest activity after a court sentenced Navalny to prison for allegedly violating the terms of his probation set after a 2014 conviction, video shows. Multiple people were detained in Manezhnaya Square and in downtown Moscow, photographs from Agence-France Presse and videos show.

Law enforcement officials were seen dragging a demonstrator to a bus, in Moscow, Russia, video shows.

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People continued to gather in downtown Moscow, video shows. Several law enforcement officials dressed in riot gear monitored a nearby metro station, a photograph shows.

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Several law enforcement vehicles including multiple vans were seen on standby in Moscow, video shows. People were detained and seen sitting inside of a barred police vehicle, according to photographs from Agence-France Presse. 

A law enforcement official told a small crowd that the protests at Manezhnaya Square were not sanctioned just before the first arrests were made, video shows.

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Navalny’s lawyers said they will submit an appeal of the court’s decision, NBC News reported.