Vladimir Putin becomes president of Russia again. An (estimated) 20,000 people turned out in Moscow to protest. NPR's Mike Shuster reports police arrested several protest leaders.
The demonstration was peaceful until some of the protestors attempted to (march cross) a bridge near the Kremlin that police had (blocked off). Some scuffles broke out and the police started arresting the demonstrators. Among those detained were three well-known opposition figures. Most of the protesters were young, students (in their teens) and 20s. The focus of the protest was Putin, who will begin the third term as president on Monday. One large banner (summed up) their protest, it declared, for Russia, for (clean government) without Putin. Riot police were deployed enforce ringing the plaza where the protesters were permitted together. They also blocked all access reach to Red Square and to the Kremlin, where Putin's inauguration ceremony will be held. Mike Shuster, NPR News, Moscow.