‘Free Pussy Riot’ Protest Video Features All-Star Musician Cast [WATCH]

Canadian electro-pop musician Merrill Beth Nisker (better known by her stage name 'Peaches'), has written a punk rock protest melody for the imprisoned members of the Russian punk rock feminist band Pussy Riot. Although most of the individuals who appear in the video flaunt Pussy Riot's trademark dayglo balaclavas, there are supposedly a number of appearances by fellow big-name musician supporters, including the Hives (noticable), Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and British singer Kate Nash.

Three members of Pussy Riot - Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, Maria Alekhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29 -have remained in Russian custody since February after being charged with "hooliganism on the grounds of religious hatred." The women were sent to prison after they donned masks and formed a protest crowd around Moscow's main cathedral where they then began to lead an anti-Putin "punk prayer." A decision in the highly controversial trial is set to be made on Friday.

Stereogum reports that Peaches' punk rock 'Free Pussy Riot' tune follows in the wake of a growing global campaign aimed to revoke this "cruel, heavy handed act of oppression" which some argue has strongly "discourage[d] free thought and speech in Russia" (www.change.org). Protests and rallies around Moscow in support of Pussy Riot have recently picked up speed - a peaceful flash mob at Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral staged by activists resulted in five people being sent to jail on Wednesday.

The video clip features a number of 'Free Pussy Riot' supporters, all expressing their views on the matter in unique and sometimes rather bizarre ways. Although hard to pick out among the masked crowd, other supposed star appearances include: multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Simonne Jones, Wayne Kramer of MC5, JD Samson of La Tigre, Swedish singer Lykke Li, electronic music duo The Knife, Peter Bjorn And John and Miike Snow, Brooklyn synth act Light Asylum, and US singer/songwriter Marshall Crenshaw.

To sign the petition in support of "Free Pussy Riot," go here.

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