Pussy Riot in the JFK Forum

Extract from Harvard Crimson. Two founding members of the Russian punk rock protest group Pussy Riot spoke out strongly against Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday night at a forum at the Institute of Politics, raising awareness of what they consider to be oppression propagated by Putin in their country. Masha Alekhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova, who have become the public face of the group, told a packed John F. Kennedy Jr. forum about their experience of political imprisonment, reflected on Russia’s recent incursions in Ukraine, and advocated for the right to free speech. “We think no one should be banned from something because of nonviolent expression of their opinions,” Tolokonnikova said. Tolokonnikova and Alekhina attracted international attention when they were arrested on charges of hooliganism in August 2012 after attempting to perform the protest song “Mother of God, Drive Putin Away” at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Their arrest and sentence—other members of the group avoided jail time—were met with significant criticism in the West. The two were granted amnesty and released in Dec. 2013.