“Hooliganism” is what members of Pussy Riot, the Russian political punk group, are on trial for because they held a “punk prayer” at a church in Moscow. They had objected to the church supporting Russian President Putin during his re-election campaign and let their feelings known. Well, Amnesty International is also using music for a good cause: they’re throwing a concert outside the Russian Embassy in D.C. on August 16 in solidarity with the group. The bands Jail Solidarity, Soft Punch, and G.U.T.S. are playing.
As Amnesty says on their website, “Oppression thrives in silence. That is why we must loudly demand that Russian authorities free Pussy Riot now!”
Here’s Amnesty’s press release for the concert, and here’s the Facebook event.
For more information about the group, visit the Free Pussy Riot page.
Update: Here’s a clip of one of Amnesty’s people at the concert, speaking on her intersection of politics and punk:
And a few photos from the event:
