Pussy Riot members jailed for 15 days following World Cup protest

Three women and one man invaded the pitch during France’s game with Croatia.

July 17, 2018
Pussy Riot members jailed for 15 days following World Cup protest A pitch invader, a member of the Russian protest-art group Pussy Riot, is escorted by stewards during the Russia 2018 World Cup final football match between France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 15, 2018.   MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty

Four members of Pussy Riot have been jailed for 15 days each after invading the pitch during Sunday's World Cup Final, BBC News reports. Each member has also been banned from attending sports events in Russia for 3 years.

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The protest came during the second half of the final, which was held at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. Three women, named as Nika Nikulshina, Olga Kurachyova, and Olga Pakhtusova, plus one man, Pyotr Verzilov, ran on to the pitch dressed in police uniforms.

They will spend just over two weeks in jail for violating the rules for spectators at sporting events and wearing police uniforms illegally.

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Pussy Riot said they were protesting against human rights abuses in Russia and called for Vladimir Putin to free all political prisoners, stop illegal arrests at public rallies, and to allow political competition in Russia.

Pussy Riot members jailed for 15 days following World Cup protest