Firstly, a meeting was held outside the building of the government headquarters of Novosibirsk region, and then a march took place on the pavement of Krasny Prospect to Lenin Square, where they held a rally. After that, they then marched back to Lenin Street, and a rally taking place by the ruling "United Russia" Party.

On April 1, in Novosibirsk, a rally and a march of three thousand pensioners took place against governor Yurchenko’s decision to abolish unlimited free rides for pensioners on public transport.

This is the seventh rally by pensioners. The authorities expected that the wave of popular protests would subside, but they miscalculated - on the contrary, from protest to protest the popular outrage is growing. Today's rally and march was attended by about 2,5 - 3 thousand people.
More than a dozen social movements and political parties took part in the protest for the rights of pensioners.

This time, the authorities and the police tried to provoke the organizers and pensioner. The fact is, as in the previous protests, this march was not sanctioned by the City’s Mayor. But this time, the organizers notified the police about the march going ahead on the road along Krasny Prospect and not on the pavement. However, the police deliberately failed to set up a police cordon along the road to stop traffic, and so at the same time did not stop the traffic flow (which is at the centre of the city and was quite busy). Before the rally organizers were repeatedly warned about criminal liability under the Russian Criminal Code Article 267 (blocking traffic arteries). The authorities had hoped that the organizers and the people would take to the roadway, finish up under the wheels of cars, so that then they could begin prosecution of the protest organizers, and - to disrupt and decapitate the protest itself. But the organizers did not succumb to the police provocations, and made the right decision - to go on the pavement of Krasny Prospect. Yes, the people had to retreat, but only in order to preserve the movement and to gather force and hit the authorities harder. The challenge now – is to bring onto the streets 5-10 thousand people!

The march stretched for several kilometres - from the Government buidling to the Lenin Square. With rising popular anger, the authorites - the ruling party "United Russia" were forced to maneuver and take action to somehow save face.

See youtube footage

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fET2bgOWDe4&feature=player_embedded

On March 31, the eve of the day's action, at a meeting of the faction "United Russia" in the Legislative Assembly and city council members led by Governor Yurchenko, with incredible haste and in secret, made amendments to the order on receiving discount fares on public transport. Entitlement to unlimited travel on public transport has now been returned to one category of citizens – the workers in the rear during World War II (40 thousand of them). This is a concession by the authorities, achieved, thanks to the PROTEST ACTIONS. The authorities took this decision under the pressure from the masses.

For the rest of pensioners - 160 thousand of them, (80%) the situation remains virtually unchanged: that is the "annual limit" of free rides on public transport is limited to 360 trips per year (those very same 30 trips per month). If a pensioner uses up all these trips, he or she is "given" an additional 60 trips per month, but at half price fares. Such a solution makes a mockery of pensioners.

It is no coincidence that this decision and its announcement in the media was taken just before the rally on April 1. Why? Because the government fears the people, afraid of the people's anger and thus throws to the people a handout to appease the people and bring down the heat of battle. But they have failed to achieve that – today there are grearter numbers than in earlier protests, and were set to continue the struggle.

Can the people be satisfied with this mocking sop from the authorities and refuse to fight on? NO! Such was the keynote speeches today.

Our demands were and still are – the reversal of governor Yurchenko’s decision and the restoration of the rights to all pensioners to unlimited free travel on public transport. Until then, until a decision is taken, we will continue mass protests and daily increase their strength and mass!

April 15 will be the next rally and march! The struggle continues!

Alexei Denisyuk, AUCPB
One of the organizers and leaders of the rally and march on April 1