Pussy Riot Members Whipped as Sochi Protest Goes Awry

A day after being arrested and accused of theft in Russia, high-profile Pussy Riot members Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova – plus numerous like-minded individuals – took part in a protest today that ended in Cossack militia violently breaking up the proceedings.

The group of protesters were situated near a Sochi Olympics advertisement when the incident took place.

As the video below shows, protesters, along with some photographers were attacked by the Cossacks, in some instances with what looked to be a whip. Pepper spray was allegedly used as well.

Police eventually arrived, but didn’t make any arrests.

On Twitter, Tolokonnikova wrote: “Under the banner Sochi 2014, to the sound of ‘Putin will teach us to love the homeland,’ Cossacks attacked Pussy Riot, beat us with whips and sprayed a lot of pepper gas at us.”

In December, Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova were released from a Russian prison after being held behind bars since March 2012. A very public protest against President Vladimir Putin at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior led to said imprisonment.

“I was not sorry that [the Pussy Riot members] ended up behind bars,” said Putin in his annual press conference last year. “I was sorry that they were engaged in such disgraceful behaviour, which in my view was degrading to the dignity of women. They went beyond all boundaries.”

The ladies believed that this move was a publicity stunt ahead of the Sochi Olympics.

Warning: This video is very violent in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.