The free man whose body was broken.

His name is Alexey Borisov.

I don't know this man in real life and he don' know me. But I remember Alexey because we protested against pension reform presuming an increase of the retirement age (for men from 60 to 65 and women from 55 to 63).

I saw him at the protest rally on Lenin Square in 2018. He kept the flag of Russia. White blue and red. On his right hand was a tattoo with the mark VEGAN. Quite a remarkable view for our provincial place.

In our provincial city where living half-million people the protest demonstrate gathered just several hundred. Yes, Russians don't do active politics and I say more accurately they are mostly passive and indifferent. In my opinion, our people don't trust anything politicians and parties. It's one of the main problems in our country.

In Moscow, many activists and people who protested were beaten and detained. We were luckier. They did not touch us and our protest hadn't political victims. All was peaceful and quiet. The police watched us from a distance of one-two hundred meters. 

I think they just didn't see a danger in our little protest rally. And of course, they didn't receive an order from above.

Why not? It's just a provincial city and a little group of peaceful people.

But all changed in the 2021 year.

31 January Alexey Borisov went to protest in support of Alexey Navalny after his arrest and film Punin's Palace.

Alexey Borisov was captured by riot police. They grabbed and put him in the paddy wagon where he was cruelly beaten.

Siloviki was beating him and saying "Talk! How many you got for selling Homeland?"

They brocked him three ribs. A tooth was chipped. Many bruises.

...Alexey Borisov is courage man. He clearly understands that "our" rulers are thieves and murders. 

What about me... I didn't go to the protest. I frightened because I very clearly understood the regime took off its mask not only in the largest cities of Russia but in our quiet provincial city. The regime's games of freedom and democracy are ended totally.

You maybe know that happened after that. 

They tried to poison Alexey Navalny. Now he is in prison. 

In my next post, I write about one of many Rubicons that the regime had crossed.

Please remember I learn English and if you will find a mistake in my text you can correct me.