Canadian protesters took to the streets Friday to add their voices to a global outcry after three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in prison.
Outside the Russian consulate on Bloor Street, about 100 people carried placards and musical instruments, The Canadian Press reported.
"I felt it was so wrong on so many levels I felt I had to do something,鈥� Toronto organizer Lynn Flatley told CTV鈥檚 Canada AM Friday morning, before the protest began. 鈥淚 had never done anything like this but it was a tipping point for me.鈥�
Another protest got underway outside the Russian embassy in Ottawa around 1 p.m. while another was scheduled to start at 6 p.m. in Montreal.
The three band members, two of whom have young children, have been in jail since March when they burst into a cathedral during services and recited a 鈥榩unk prayer鈥� calling on the Virgin Mary to protect Russian citizens from Vladimir Putin, who was set to win a new term as president at the time.
Each band member 鈥� one of whom is a Canadian permanent resident 鈥� received a two-year sentence Friday after being convicted of hooliganism connected with religious hatred. It was feared that the band members might receive as much as seven years each.
Since their arrest, the Pussy Riot members have become the poster children for those demanding greater civil liberties in Russia.
Stars such as Madonna, Bjork and Canadian electro-pop singer Peaches have lent their voices in support of the women.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really, really a shame,鈥� Peaches told 愛污传媒 Channel from Beijing Friday morning. 鈥淭hey said this had not been religious hatred, this has been a political movement against Putin.
鈥淚t seems like they鈥檙e going back to Soviet times and towards dictatorship and it鈥檚 petrifying. That鈥檚 why people have lent so much support.鈥�
On Twitter, she also encouraged her followers to attend a planned protest event in Berlin, where she is based. Earlier this month, she created a video to support the band as well.
