In St Petersburg, an activist defending Zarosli Park has been detained.

An activist defending ‘Zarosli’ park has been detained in St Petersburg. OVD-Info was informed by an eyewitness.

Construction work, previously halted, has resumed illegally in the park, prompting several activists to come and try to stop it. Security guards called the police. One of the activists refused to identify herself to the authorities. The woman was taken to Police Station No. 30, where she is being written up for petty hooliganism (Article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences) and failure to obey the police (Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences).

22:30 The detainee will be held at the station overnight, she reported herself.

26 September Today, a judge from Vasileostrovsky District Court postponed the hearing regarding the protocols drawn up against the activist detained yesterday in ‘Zarosli’ park. This was reported by the publication “MR7 | News of St Petersburg.” The hearing is now scheduled for 14 October.

According to activists protesting the development in ‘Zarosli’ park, after the authorities (called by the construction workers) arrived, officers began checking everyone’s IDs. The detained woman allegedly refused to give her name or show her documents, so she was taken to the police station.

At today’s court hearing, the activist explained that she did not refuse to state her name. She said she only asked the officer to introduce himself first.

‘At first I wanted the officer to introduce himself as well, and then I began asking him on what grounds he was demanding my documents? ’ the detainee said.

She added that if the police officer had introduced himself, she would have answered his questions. Her lawyer also said that the officer who detained his client did not sign the protocol.

The judge questioned police officer Evgeny Fomin as a witness. He claimed he did not write up the activist, although the defence insists otherwise.

Other police officers will be called as witnesses at the next court session.

• St Petersburg activists are protesting against the development of the ‘Zarosli’ park. On 29 August, the State Construction Supervision issued a permit for building works along the Makarov embankment extension. However, on 25 September, ‘Zarosli’ received protected status. This means that until an official assessment is carried out, no tree felling or construction work can take place in the park.