Pussy Riot members arrested in Sochi

Pussy Riot members (or not, if you listen to the rest of the collective) Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina have been arrested in Sochi.

The duo, who were recently released from prison, were rounded up along with a group of protesters. According to the women, they were arrested on suspicion of theft and were not participating in the protests when they were arrested.

"We were simply walking around Sochi when they grabbed us," Tolokonnikova told The Guardian. "They told us we are suspected of theft. Of course there has been no theft."  

This marks the third time that members of Pussy Riot have been detained while in Sochi. They were hauled in when they first arrived in the city on Sunday. They were brought in the next day for questioning and then snagged again over suspicion of taking a woman's purse.

"Our authorities have this amazing ability to organize a scandal," said Alexander Popkov, a lawyer for the two women. "If they hadn't arrested them, there would have been none of this crazy media attention." 

Upon leaving the station, the women pulled the brightly colored balaclava's over their heads and sang "Putin will teach you to love the motherland."

(via)