Hundreds detained at anti-fraud protest

MOSCOW (AP):

Police clashed with demonstrators protesting vote fraud in Moscow and at least two other major Russian cities yesterday, as anger boiled over against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his ruling United Russia party.

At least 250 people were detained by police at a protest in downtown Moscow, where flare-type fireworks were thrown at a group of pro-Kremlin youth, said city police spokesman, Maxim Kolosvetov.

Hundreds arrested

Russian news agencies reported about 200 were arrested at a similar attempt to hold an unsanctioned rally in St Petersburg and another 25 protesters were arrested in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.

It was the second consecutive night of large protests in Moscow and St Petersburg, an unusually sustained show of indignation that came after widespread reports of vote fraud in Sunday's parliamentary election. Russian police routinely crack down hard on unauthorised rallies and protesters generally take time to regroup for a new attempt.