Russia arrests woman for staging solo protest demanding her son be brought home from war

Police in the Siberian city of Abakan detained a local woman after she staged a solo picket calling for her son to be brought home from the war in Ukraine.

Yelena Trofimova was held in police custody for three hours, during which officers threatened to have her committed to a psychiatric hospital. She first described the incident on social media, and it was later picked up by independent outlet 7x7.

The picket took place during Abakan’s City Day celebrations, near the stadium where Russian pop singer Shaman was performing. Trofimova stood across from the venue holding a sign that read: “Bring back my son! Mobilised 26.09.22. Three years in the special military operation.” She had been standing for about 15 minutes when police approached and confiscated the sign.

Officers told her she had not obtained official authorisation for the picket and that she was “ruining the holiday” for other people.

“While we were waiting [for the district officer to arrive], they told me that I’m the most dangerous enemy my country has, that they were about to take me to the psychiatric hospital, where I belonged, and that I was looking at 25 years in prison,” Trofimova said. “They said my son will come home from the war and won’t find his mother waiting for him — the implication evidently being that I won’t live to see 85. I doubt anyone would bother poisoning me in there.”

Police subsequently took a statement from Trofimova and brought her to the station, where she was held for three hours before being released without any charges being filed. Her sign was not returned to her.