Moscow, 16 April: Russians consider 'punk prayer' staged by (feminist punk rock) band Pussy Riot in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow (on 21 February) as hooliganism and sacrilege, and some of them think of it as of a political protest, a poll has shown.
The Pussy Riot performance attracted attention of over 70 per cent of Russians: 36 per cent of citizens are well informed of it, another 35 per cent know about it roughly, VTsIOM (All-Russia Public Opinion Research Centre) sociologists told Interfax today, citing the results of a national survey.
According to VTsIOM data, the event in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral sparked the strongest reaction among Moscovites and St Petersburgers (77 per cent), Russians of preretirement and retirement age (73-76 per cent), and Orthodox followers (74 per cent). As many as 29 per cent of the respondents learnt about this performance for the first time during the poll, they are mainly villagers (35 per cent) and Islam followers (44 per cent).
Meanwhile, so-called punk prayer is considered by Russians as hooliganism (46 per cent) most often. Both Orthodox Christians (48 per cent) and Muslims (51 per cent) think so, as well as those, who consider themselves atheists (48 per cent). Supporters of the One Russia (United Russia) party share the same opinion most often (51 per cent).
One in five calls the band's act sacrilege (21 per cent), those are mainly the supporters of the A Just Russia party (28 per cent). Less frequently the event is considered by the respondents as a political protest (13 per cent), a PR move (10 per cent), demonstration of extremism (4 per cent) or performance (1 per cent).
During the poll, one-third of Russians proposed a punishment for the Pussiy Riot ladies in the form of correctional labour (32 per cent). This exactly attitude is shared by Orthodox Christians (33 per cent) and those, who assess the event as hooliganism (38 per cent).
One in five (20 per cent) think that the organizers of this action deserve only a forfeit, and this opinion is shared mainly by unbelievers (30 per cent) and those, who call punk prayer a political protest (33 per cent).
Ten per cent of those polled suggest that the ladies should be sentenced to a real prison term - those are mainly the respondents who consider the action as sacrilege (21 per cent). Almost the same number of the polled (9 per cent) think that the ladies should be kept under arrest for 15 days. Another 5 per cent believe that the culprits should get only a suspended sentence. Eight per cent of the polled propose to give the culprits a public reprimand, those are mainly the respondents who assess the action as a PR move. Only 2 per cent insist on anathematising the ladies.
Seven per cent of the polled think that the ladies should not be punished at all, those are mainly the respondents who are the followers of other religions (14 per cent) and those, who consider punk prayer as a political protest (20 per cent), showed the VTsIOM survey conducted on 31 March - 1 April in 138 settlements in 46 Russian regions, territories and republics. (Passage omitted)
Keywords: Russia, Government, Politics - Russian News - Russia
Moscow, 16 April: Russians consider 'punk prayer' staged by (feminist punk rock) band Pussy Riot in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow (on 21 February) as hooliganism and sacrilege, and some of them think of it as of a political protest, a poll has shown.
The Pussy Riot performance attracted attention of over 70 per cent of Russians: 36 per cent of citizens are well informed of it, another 35 per cent know about it roughly, VTsIOM (All-Russia Public Opinion Research Centre) sociologists told Interfax today, citing the results of a national survey.
According to VTsIOM data, the event in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral sparked the strongest reaction among Moscovites and St Petersburgers (77 per cent), Russians of preretirement and retirement age (73-76 per cent), and Orthodox followers (74 per cent). As many as 29 per cent of the respondents learnt about this performance for the first time during the poll, they are mainly villagers (35 per cent) and Islam followers (44 per cent).
Meanwhile, so-called punk prayer is considered by Russians as hooliganism (46 per cent) most often. Both Orthodox Christians (48 per cent) and Muslims (51 per cent) think so, as well as those, who consider themselves atheists (48 per cent). Supporters of the One Russia (United Russia) party share the same opinion most often (51 per cent).
One in five calls the band's act sacrilege (21 per cent), those are mainly the supporters of the A Just Russia party (28 per cent). Less frequently the event is considered by the respondents as a political protest (13 per cent), a PR move (10 per cent), demonstration of extremism (4 per cent) or performance (1 per cent).
During the poll, one-third of Russians proposed a punishment for the Pussiy Riot ladies in the form of correctional labour (32 per cent). This exactly attitude is shared by Orthodox Christians (33 per cent) and those, who assess the event as hooliganism (38 per cent).
One in five (20 per cent) think that the organizers of this action deserve only a forfeit, and this opinion is shared mainly by unbelievers (30 per cent) and those, who call punk prayer a political protest (33 per cent).
Ten per cent of those polled suggest that the ladies should be sentenced to a real prison term - those are mainly the respondents who consider the action as sacrilege (21 per cent). Almost the same number of the polled (9 per cent) think that the ladies should be kept under arrest for 15 days. Another 5 per cent believe that the culprits should get only a suspended sentence. Eight per cent of the polled propose to give the culprits a public reprimand, those are mainly the respondents who assess the action as a PR move. Only 2 per cent insist on anathematising the ladies.
Seven per cent of the polled think that the ladies should not be punished at all, those are mainly the respondents who are the followers of other religions (14 per cent) and those, who consider punk prayer as a political protest (20 per cent), showed the VTsIOM survey conducted on 31 March - 1 April in 138 settlements in 46 Russian regions, territories and republics. (Passage omitted)