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Pussy Riot returning to Bristol
Members of Pussy Riot Masha Alyokhina and Olga Borisova are set to come to Bristol to give a talk on democratic freedom.
Pussy Riot, the anti-Putin art collective set up in 2011, will address concerns that democracy is eroding worldwide and encourage people to use their electoral rights in the upcoming general election.
Masha and Olga will also share stories of what happens to democracy when there’s no opposition and no free media. With elections coming up worldwide, the question will be posed: ‘It couldn’t happen here, could it?’
is needed now More than ever
The event is being hosted by Altered State, a group that platforms “forward-thinking ideas” in Bristol.
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Pussy Riot is a protest and performance art group that advocates for feminism, LGBTQ+ rights and opposition to Vladimir Putin through unauthorised, provocative guerilla gigs in Russia’s public places.
Speaking to Bristol24/7 ahead of the talk, Masha, who was arrested in 2012 due to her involvement with a protest at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour cathedral, said she enjoys visiting Bristol due to the city’s history of protest, from the Black Lives Matter that saw the statue of Edward Colston thrown into the harbour to 2021’s ‘kill the bill’ protests.
Masha Alekhina and Olga Borisova in the renowned Pussy Riot balaclavas – photo: Pussy Riot
LGBTQ+ rights are a central part to Pussy Riot’s art and work because, the group says, they come into direct opposition with Putin’s government.
Referencing a recent example, Masha said: “On Putin’s birthday in 2021, we hung rainbow flags on police, court and administrative buildings across Moscow in support of Russia’s LGBT+ community.
“We persuaded a guard that we’d been asked to hang rainbow flags in celebration of Putin’s birthday.
“He stepped aside while we climbed a tall ladder and hung the flag on the presidential building.”
Masha Alyokhina at a Moscow court in 2021 – photo: Masha Alyokhina
‘Democracy in Crisis in the age of Putin and Trump – Lessons from Russia with Pussy Riot’ takes place at 7:30pm on June 26 at the Hen & Chicken on North Street. For tickets, visit https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/hen-chicken-southville/wed-26-jun-pussy-riot-on-putin-trump-the-democratic-crisis-108079#e108079
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