Issue and Opponent: The government of Russia, including Putin and Medvedev, is highly corrupt. This government has been accused of being an anti-democratic kleptocracy built on corruption and the silencing of dissenters.
Dilemma Action: After an expose was released that detailed one of Medvedev’s estates had a custom-made duck house built in the middle of a pond, demonstrators took to the streets of Moscow to protest governmental and oligarchic corruption. 10,000 demonstrators turned up in Moscow and St. Petersburg alone, while 60,000 protested across the country. Most demonstrators were teenagers and young adults. These demonstrators carried sneakers and rubber ducks, and they painted their faces green. The sneakers and ducks were a nod to the opulence of Medvedev, while the green face paint showed solidarity with Navalny, Russia’s most successful opposition politician after he was attacked with green antiseptic.
Outcomes: Riot police intervened in multiple cities across the country. Media and other witnesses documented a brutal crackdown on the peaceful protest. These riot police used tear gas and physically beat protestors to end the demonstration. More than 1,000 participants were detained. This protest gained sympathy for the protestors in the media, and the United States Department of State denounced the crackdown and demanded the release of the protestors.