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Pussy Riot invade pitch during World Cup final

Pussy Riot invade pitch during World Cup final
Copyright  REUTERS/Damir Sagolj
Copyright REUTERS/Damir Sagolj
By Reuters
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The World Cup final was briefly interrupted after three intruders linked to Pussy Riot ran onto the pitch before being hauled away.

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While all eyes were on the World Cup match between France and Croatia, members of the Russian protest group Pussy riot briefly disturbed the game after invading the pitch. 

The Russian news website Mediazona reported that three women and one man had taken part in the protest and all four had been taken to a nearby police station.

They were wearing police uniforms when they ran onto the pitch in the second half of the game, before being removed by authorities. 

A member of the band, Olga Kurachyova, told Reuters she was one of those who had run on to the pitch. She said she was being detained in a Moscow police station.

Pussy Riot said the pitch invasion was in a protest with demands which included freeing political prisoners, stopping illegal detentions at political rallies, and allowing political competition in Russia, amongst other demands. 

REUTERS/Denis Sinyakov

Pussy Riot came to international attention in 2012 after a protest inside Moscow’s biggest cathedral, for which three participants were arrested and jailed.

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