The news about the application was reported by one of Solidarity's key activists, Sergey Davidis. He told Interfax the event would be named simply 'Spring' and the maximum turnout is estimated at 100,000. The main objective of the march is to express discontent with the anti-crisis program of the authorities, Davidis elaborated.
Comment: The number expected for the rally sure seems optimistic, especially since Putin's approval rating is at 85%
The head of Moscow's directorate for regional security, Aleksey Mayorov, told reporters on Monday that various political movements had submitted six different applications for mass rallies on March 1 and added that it was early to talk about any particular plans. According to Russian law, civil servants have three days to officially permit or ban the rally.
On Sunday one of the main figures behind the planned rally - the leader of the Party of Progress Aleksey Navalny - was detained for promoting the march.
Navalny and another anti-corruption activist - Aleksey Lyaskin - were apprehended on Sunday evening in the Moscow Metro and released at about midnight after spending six hours in a police station, TASS reported quoting the Moscow press service of the Interior Ministry. Police said that the detained were violating public order.
Comment: There is plenty of evidence to indicate Aleksey Navalny is a Western intelligence agent working in Russia: