This month marks the end of Lyudmila Alexeyeva’s involvement in Strategy 31.  The movement, started in July 2009 by Eduard Limonov, held protest rallies at the end of every month that contained 31 days, an emblematic nod to Article 31 of the Russian Constitution, regarding the right to hold peaceful demonstrations.  The rallies were initially held in Triumfalnaya Square, and were never sanctioned by the Moscow authorities, which came up with all manner of excuses to prevent the gatherings including rival pro-Kremlin rallies and, finally, extensive construction work.  The protest in March of last year saw plenty of arrests and police scuffles.  But the group has been split since October last year, after human rights veteran Alexeyeva agreed to the authorities’ requests that the protests be capped at 800, whilst Eduard Limonov refused to compromise: ‘Let Lyudmila Mikhailovna, in her agreed-upon space, watch how we are hauled into paddy wagons.‘ 

Even with the new Moscow Mayor exhibiting more sympathy with the protesters, the gatherings are still only sanctioned if they are held at Pushkinskaya Square, which is where Alexeyeva and her followers have been gathering – until now, that is.  Alexeyeva says that she will no longer gather under the banner of Strategy 31, preferring to move on to other issues, namely free and fair elections.  Meanwhile the rest of the group, following the lead of Eduard Limonov, say they will continue to gather in unsanctioned force on Triumfalnaya.