Sobyanin explained the ban on rallies by the impossibility of sanitary control

In the future, with the improvement of the epidemiological situation, residents of the capital will be able to freely participate in all events, including rallies. This was announced at a speech in the Moscow City Duma by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

“Unlike city events, rallies cannot control compliance with sanitary measures, but I think that the time will come and Muscovites, of course, will freely participate in all events, as was the case in previous years,” the mayor said.

Sobyanin noted that cultural and sports events in the capital are held in limited spaces or premises with full control of the persons in them. The system of QR codes also helps to control such places, the mayor pointed out. “As soon as the opportunity presents itself, we will lift these restrictions. But today they are needed,” he added.

In Moscow, it is forbidden to hold any protest actions, including single pickets. The city authorities explain this by the anti-epidemic measures that have been in place since the CORONAVIRUS pandemic, although cultural and sports events were allowed in March. Rospotrebnadzor removed all other restrictions due to covid-19 in the summer.

In the capital's Department of Regional Security and Anti-Corruption, previously, when refusing to approve rallies, they stated that "the measures taken by the Moscow government to gradually lift restrictions <...> do not lift the ban on holding mass public events."