Hundreds gathered on Tuesday in St. Petersburg and sang a banned song mocking Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare public protest, according to footage posted on X.
The crowd was singing “Cooperative Swan Lake,” which was banned in Russia this past May by the St. Petersburg Prosecutor’s Office. The office says the tune “poses a threat to children’s health” and “encourages negative attitudes toward government officials, particularly the President of Russia and his supporters.”
The song, written by pro-Ukraine rapper Noize MC, draws on the Soviet tradition of airing the ballet “Swan Lake” in times of political upheaval to symbolize regime change.
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