Pussy Riot members jailed after World Cup pitch protest

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Members of Russian punks Pussy Riot jailed after they disrupted Sunday’s football World Cup final in Moscow

(Image credit: Ian MacNicol - Getty)

Members of Pussy Riot have been jailed after they invaded the pitch during Sunday’s World Cup final in Moscow.

It was reported yesterday that the Russian punks had claimed responsibility for disrupting the match between France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium, when three of them, dressed as police officers, ran on to the pitch, while a fourth was detained on the sidelines.

The band said they had wanted to draw attention to police impunity in the country.

They had been facing a fine and community service for the “violation of spectator’s rights” but the Pussy Riot Twitter feed reports that they’ve been jailed.

The band report that Veronica Nikulshina, Olga Kurachova, Pyotr Verzilov and Olga Pakhtusova have been sentenced to 15 days and have been banned from attending sporting events in the country for three years.

Pussy Riot hit the headlines in 2012 when former members Nadya Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina were each jailed for 22 months after they were found guilty of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” after they performed a “punk prayer” in a Russian Orthodox cathedral.

Scott Munro
Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.