By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian opposition activists gathered in downtown Moscow Sunday to hold a sanctioned Day of Wrath rally.
The action being held in Revolution Square is being attended by opposition activist, coordinator of the Left Front movement, Sergei Udaltsov, a leading protester, against a controversial highway through the Khimki forest on the edge of Moscow, Yevgeniya Chirikova, and representatives of other public organisations.
The protesters are intending to demand direct elections of governors in Russian regions, the transfer of real power to the bodies of local self-government, expansion of the rights of trade unions, the introduction of a progressive income tax scale and a luxury tax, an effective migration policy, a review of the Moscow master plan, protection of the Khimki forest and other issues.
The rally is the second action authorised by the Moscow authorities this year.
Requests to authorise the Day of Wrath rallies were invariably turned down by the Moscow authorities in the past, while unauthorised protests were dispersed by police.