Thousands defy Vladimir Putin and line streets to pay respects to Alexei Navalny

04 March 2024 , 16:20

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Mourners queue to visit the grave of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Borisovo cemetery in Moscow (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Mourners in their thousands lined the streets to pay respect to activist Alexei Navalny at his grave- defying Vladimir Putin.

Nearly two weeks after his death, which many say Putin was behind, Navalny was laid to rest in Moscow, with his wife Julia watching via live-stream as she was in exile. Following his funeral, thousands are lining up the streets in Moscow to lay flowers at this grave.

Today, Navalny's wife Yulia wrote on X: "Many people wonder why Alexey fought so hard and never gave up. For your sake. Beautiful, brave and honest people who now come in an endless line to say goodbye to him. Thank you. This is true people's love."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged those gathering in Moscow and other places not to break the law, saying any "unauthorised (mass) gatherings" are violations. Around two dozen Navalny supporters were detained as they tried to attend the funeral, with another arrested during the event. But supporters chanted “Alexei, Alexei,” with others declaring: “We won’t forget you - please forgive us,” at the solemn and tense Moscow ceremony. One shouted: "You weren't afraid, neither are we!" and later "No to war!".

And even after the funeral, Navalny continues to draw huge crowds of followers and loved ones to his grave, who are waiting hours to pay their respect. During the funeral, his coffin was lowered to the tune of Frank Sinatra’ “My way.” It was one of his favourite songs but the words will echo around the corridors of the Kremlin from where Putin is suspected of having ordered his murder. Navalny’s body lay in an open casket in the packed, southern Moscow church.

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His coffin was then closed after the service, which meant mourners wanting to file past their hero were not able properly to pay their respects. He was then taken to the Borisovskoye cemetery close to the banks of the Moskova River, where loved ones had laid several wreaths, and continue to.

Mourners visit the grave of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Borisovo cemetery in Moscow on March 3 (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Navalny’s team were unable to find a hearse for the funeral. Yarmysh said: "Unknown people are calling up people and threatening them not to take Alexei's body anywhere,"Russian authorities still haven't announced the cause of death for Navalny, 47, who crusaded against Putin and organized big protests.

Zesha Saleem