Cossack militia attacked the Pussy Riot punk group with horsewhips on Wednesday as the group tried to perform under a sign advertising the Sochi Olympics. One Cossack appeared to use pepper spray, another whipped several group members while others ripped off their masks and threw the guitar in a garbage can. Cossacks trace their history in Russia back to the 15th century. Serving in the czarist cavalry, they spearheaded imperial Russia's expansion and were often used as border guards. Under communism, they virtually disappeared, but have since resurfaced, particularly in the south.
Pussy Riot Unveils a Wildly NSFW Vision of America Under Donald Trump
The calculation, she says, was political. She and the rest of her Russian punk collective wanted to appeal to as many American voters as possible, even the ones who might be offended by a few dirty words. We wanted to get our message across to people who might not be as aesthetically radical as we are at Pussy Riot. The video that first made them famous in took aim at Russian President Vladimir Putin while he was in the middle of his re-election campaign that year, and it got Tolokonnikova and one of her band mates, Maria Alyokhina, sentenced to two years in prison on charges of felony hooliganism. Their introduction to American politics came soon after their release from the Russian labor camps. Their discussion mainly focused on gender issues, and the former Secretary of State praised Pussy Riot for the bravery of their activism in Russia. But the admiration was not entirely mutual.
Cossack militia attacked the Pussy Riot punk group with horsewhips on Wednesday as the group tried to perform under a sign advertising the Sochi Olympics. One Cossack appeared to use pepper spray, another whipped several group members while others ripped off their masks and threw the guitar in a garbage can. Cossacks trace their history in Russia back to the 15th century. Serving in the czarist cavalry, they spearheaded imperial Russia's expansion and were often used as border guards.