A FEMINIST RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The female punk band Pussy Riot is a musical group that conducts unexpected performances in different urban spaces. Pussy Riot’s songs address topical political issues. The interests of the group members are political activism, ecology, and the elimination of Authoritarian tendences in the Russian state system through the creation of a civil society.
In February 2012
a musical group of young women performed briefly in front of the altar in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow Russia. It was protest song - a punk prayer – asking the Virgin Mary for help against the blatant use of the orthodox church as a political platform and as a result blurring the line between church and state.
It was daring, brash, colorful and loud and lasted all of 40 seconds. Certainly, it offended some of the faithful – but not all of Russia felt the same way.
The women were forced to go underground while they were hunted by the police and other agents.
After a lengthy terrifying pursuit, they were caught and imprisoned to await trial.
Despite a world-wide rallying on their behalf, they were finally sentenced and incarcerated where they underwent some of the worst conditions possible.
This is the story that led up to their persecution.