Issue and Opponent: In 2020 a vote was planned to amend the Russian constitution and allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule into 2036.At the time all mass gatherings were banned.
Dilemma Action: Sonya Ulyasheva, a spokeswoman for the Vesna democratic movement, posted photographs of toy protests as part of a #MiniProtest social media campaign, where participants posted photos of fruits and vegetables holding anti-amendment posters in public spaces. “This plebiscite is more fake than us,” read one of the posters held by a toy. The use of social media was meant to avoid the ban on mass gatherings and other COVID restrictions regarding congregating in public.
Outcomes: Ulyasheva was sought for questioning by criminal investigators, inquiring about her “civic stance,” which made the Russian regime look ridiculous for caring about photographs of toys protesting a sham democracy. For Ulyasheva, the reaction further underscored the legitimacy of the government: “These toy campaigns further underscore this absurdity. We thought you couldn’t underscore the absurdity anymore, but the police managed when they responded with a criminal probe.”