Pussy Riot: Taking on Putin

Opposing Putin can lead to imprisonment or death by various methods…

Nadya Tolokonnikova, founder of Pussy Riot, faces possible charges and another imprisonment for her recent art show in Los Angeles, Putin’s Ashes. In 2011, Nadya started Pussy Riot with four women to anonymously protest Putin all wearing brightly colored balaclavas (masks) with punk style attire. Playing punk rock as badly as they could, the lyrics were striking Putin’s inhumanity with each chord.

Pussy Riot is against Putin and the Kremlin’s oppression of the people, the power of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the persecution of the LGBT. They promote freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to protest the government and the right to live in a democratic society. Pussy Riot is recognized throughout the world as they have warned the world about Putin’s horror and look at Ukraine today.

In February 21, 2012, Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova protested in their punk style for less than a minute against Putin’s regime in the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow – “Putin’s Prayer.” Moddi’s cover was recorded as close to Russia as possible, and the words are haunting – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddQMYWf1STc .

Pussy Riot was arrested, charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” and in August they were sentenced to two years.  Amnesty International declared the women “prisoners of conscience.” Madonna performing in Moscow called for the women’s release but only Samutsevich was freed in October and the other two members remained incarcerated through 2013.

During the Sochi Olympics, Pussy Riot warned the world about Putin. Footage was released of Putin’s Cossacks publicly whipping them and Russian police officers turning a blind eye. In their florescent garb they sang, “Putin will teach you how to love the motherland.”

Pussy Riot released a new song protesting the “war in Ukraine, Russian censorship and the west ‘sponsoring’ the regime through buying oil and gas from Russia. They have also called for the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, to be tried at an international tribunal.” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/24/pussy-riot-song-protests-against-war-in-ukraine-and-calls-for-putin-to-be-prosecuted)

We have the freedom to share their video with you:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr0GN2llJaY

You have the freedom to watch the video but they do not have the freedom to record the film about their anti-Ukrainian war platform. Opposing Putin can lead to imprisonment or death by various methods.

During the Fall of 2022, Maria Alyokhina had an exhibit, Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia at Kling & Bang in Reykjavík, Iceland focusing on Alyokhina’s memories of totalitarianism since the founding of Pussy Riot.

Peace in Action believes everyone is entitled to their Human Rights and applauds the bravery of the eleven members of Pussy Riot. We pray they stay safe.

Here is the video from the Los Angeles Jeffrey Deitch Gallery’s 2023 exhibit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni_CRPAw_5Q