While the case of Russia's Pussy Riot has ended, the fallout continues around the world as musicians, artists and politicians condemn the actions of the Russian court. The Guardian reports that the three women are facing two years in a prison colony over the conviction, and British and American officials have condemned the proceedings. The UK's Foreign Office minister (the equivalent of the Secretary of State) did not mince words saying:
"I am deeply concerned by the sentencing of three members of the band Pussy Riot, which can only be considered a disproportionate response to an expression of political belief
While the US state department said that:
It puts a serious question mark over Russia's respect for international obligations of fair, transparent, and independent legal process.
For more reactions, including some follow up arrests, statements from notable supporters, .
Protestors were arrested outside the court including famous chess grandmaster - and outspoken critic of the Putin administration - Garry Kasparov. Many public figures also criticized the Russian government, with statements coming from Paul McCartney, Madonna, Björk, Sting, Bryan Adams, Moby, the Beastie Boys, Peter Gabriel, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Carrie Brownstein of Portlandia and Sleater-Kinney. Perhaps the most dramatic condemnation came from The Black Keys' Patrick Carney who said:
We will never [play] a show in Russia as long as they imprison innocent musicians for speaking their minds peacefully.
Other outlets have responded in their own way as well. Online radio station, Slacker, launched a Protest station featuring protest music and anti-Putin songs. Anti-Flag teamed up with La Dispute's Adam Vass to produce fundraising posters and a shirt.
Even The Atlantic weighed in:
Pussy Riot injects new life into punk rock, making it seem real again. When was the last time a Rage Against the Machine song sounded relevant?
Today, Moscow police announced three more potential prosecutions with ninety-seven people detained after the verdict was read. It should be noted that the account linked here is from Russia: Beyond the Headlines, a branch of Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta was founded by a decree of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR in 1990, and publishes the official decrees, statements and documents of state bodies. Russia: Beyond the Headlines has arrangements to include it's monthly supplements in a number of high profile newspapers around the world, a list of which can be found here. It has been widely criticised for pushing a strongly pro-Government line, as in a 2007 article in Slate magazine, where it's output was described as follows:
…beneath the shattered syntax of these laughable pieces beats the bloody red heart of the tone-deaf Soviet propagandist.
If we return to the Russia: Beyond the Headlines article linked earlier, we find the following visceral account of the arrest of Garry Kasparov, noted opposition activist, and renowned chess grandmaster:
Prominent opposition activist Garry Kasparov offered fierce resistance to police and bit a police officer on the hand. The policeman was hospitalized with a severe bite.
Footage of Kasparov's arrest can be found on the BBC website, where readers can judge for themselves whether the account of the Russian Government's international PR wing presents an accurate version of events. If you are unable to stream video, an in depth textual and photographic analysis of the arrest is available at ChessBase.com.