In February 2012, a female punk rock band named Pussy Riot organized a protest against
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, in a cathedral in Moscow. Colleagues videotaped their
protest and they made the tape into a music video complaining about the ties between Putin’s
government and the Russian Orthodox church. They were arrested and sentenced in August
2012 to two years in prison. Worldwide support for the band included statements of support by
Paul McCartney and protests in Hamburg, Germany, New York’s Time Square, and in many
other cities. Madonna had the band’s name written on her back for display during her own
concerts. Amnesty International condemned the prosecution.
What will be an ideal response?
1. If this protest had occurred in the United States, do you believe it should be protected as
a nonviolent expression of freedom of expression? Are there elements of the protest
which would justify restricting the speech and, if so, with what justification?
2. Are there limits to free speech in this situation? What, if anything, might the rock band
have done that would have justified their arrest and conviction?
3. Efforts are continuing to overturn the convictions. Research reliable sources to
determine the status of the case. Look for statements by the Putin government to justify
their actions and assess the validity of those statement according to principles of free
speech.
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What will be an ideal response?
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a. true b. false
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