Hundreds of protesters gathered in cities across Europe on Friday to show their anger at the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, with many directing their criticism at Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In Berlin, police estimated that 500 to 600 protesters gathered outside the Russian embassy on Unter den Linden boulevard, chanting “Putin is a killer” in a mix of Russian, German, and English. Some also called for Putin to face justice at the international criminal court for war crimes in Ukraine. Police used barriers to separate the crowd from the embassy.
“Alexei Navalny is the leader of the Russian opposition and we always kept hope in his name,” said a Russian man draped in an anti-war flag. He and his wife, who have been in Germany for two years, expressed doubts about returning to Russia due to the political situation.
In Paris, around 100 protesters gathered near the Russian embassy, many holding signs with messages like “Putin murderer”. A woman named Natalia Morozov expressed her grief, saying that Navalny had been a symbol of hope for a better future in Russia, but that hope had been “killed by Putin”.
About 30 people also gathered near the Russian embassy in Rome, holding banners with messages like “Navalny killed, Putin criminal”. In Amsterdam, hundreds of people gathered in Dam Square with signs reading “Putin is a killer”, while in The Hague, more than a hundred people protested outside the Russian embassy.
Navalny’s wife, Yulia, was in Munich where a protest was expected to take place. She stated that she could not be certain of her husband’s death because “Putin and his government… lie incessantly”.
The European cities saw hundreds protest in anger over the death of Navalny, directing their outrage at Putin and calling for justice.
