What is a rally? How to organize it and what does the law say about holding rallies?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

A person with an active life position and not indifferent to what is happening in his country can express his point of view or involve the public in a topical issue. That's what rallies are for. It is important to remember that there is a fine line between drawing attention and breaking the rules.

What is a rally? How to organize it? And what problems with the law can the participants and organizers have? These and many other questions are discussed below.

Look into the past

The first official political rally in the USSR was held on Pushkin Square in December 1965. This event was called "glasnost rally". This action was organized by dissidents in defense of the arrested writers. In the memory of society, the wounds from Stalin's repressions were still quite fresh, and the organizers focused on this. In the propaganda leaflets that were distributed in advance, it was stated that the arrest was illegal and citizens were obliged to show their active position and achieve publicity in court.

What is a rally, the participants perfectly understood and behaved peacefully. About 200 people participated, mostly students. Several detachments of police and combatants arrived at the place of the meeting in advance. Many participants were expelled from educational institutions.

By the way, the rally played its role, and the trial was open (the foreign media, which covered the rally in their publications, had a significant influence). The writers were sentenced to 5 to 7 years in prison for submitting their work to foreign editorial offices.

What is the rally today?

Today, Russian society is reviving this phenomenon. Increasingly, the media provide information about political rallies held before elections or workers' meetings before strikes.

Today, young people often know about this phenomenon only through conversations. Therefore, it is worth analyzing three main questions:

1. What is a rally? In Russia, this is a gathering of a large number of people in order to discuss the accumulated issues, put forward demands or express protests, solidarity. At least 15 people must participate in the rally.
2. Who conducts it and why? It can be organized by any private person or a representative of a political, public organization (if he was not previously convicted). It is held in order to attract attention, to express one's solidarity. Political rallies are organized by parties in order to “denigrate” opponents and gain more like-minded people. First of all, for the organizerswork.
3. Who is coming and why? Today, anyone can attend the rally. Usually the participants are people with an active life position, who share the questions and demands of the protesters, and just curious citizens. It is worth noting that if the scenario of the rally “fails” and a scuffle with the authorities starts, any participant can be punished regardless of the purpose of his stay at the event.

Types and forms of holding

In modern society, the following types of rallies are found:

• political;
• public, or social;

• ceremonial;
• mourning.

Large events are often held in the form of a "concert-rally", when the speeches of the organizers and public, political figures alternate with the performances of artists.

A rally-procession can also be held when participants come to a designated place, attend the speech of the organizers, and then go along a predetermined route. Such an event is held to attract attention, on the way the organizers can shout slogans and pass posters to the participants.

The rally does not have to be held at the monument or on the square. Very often, small gatherings in nature, in an office or hall are called so, because at them like-minded people discuss topical issues, put forward demands, look for solutions and try to attract attention.

How to spend?

We found out what a rally is, and if you decide to hold such an event yourself,there are a few important things to know:

1. Assemble the organizing team.

2. Make a request for the event. It must indicate the place, time, purpose and form of the event, the number of participants, the sound amplifying equipment used, the methods of organizing medical care and policing, the name and contacts of at least three organizers.
3. The application must be submitted to the executive authorities no later than 10 days, but not earlier than 15 days before the expected date.
4. In turn, the authorities will issue you a confirmation of receipt of the application. If necessary, they will formally and reasonably require a change to the application (date, venue). An authorized representative will be appointed. Everything must be agreed upon within 3 working days.
5. Gather participants, campaign, write slogans, draw posters, prepare a rally scenario. By the way, it is recommended to draw up a plan in advance, which will indicate the speeches of the speakers by the time and the issues that you want to touch on.
6. On the appointed day, be careful and maintain law and order at your event.

Holding and participating in a rally is a rather serious event, so it is important to observe the legality of your actions. Before you "start" everything, it's worth considering if there is a more effective way to attract attention.

Rally and law

The Constitution of the Russian Federation enshrines the right of citizens to gather for peaceful rallies.

But there are a lot of amendments and, accordingly, fines in Russia:

• participants must not wear masks;
• fines for unauthorized rallies and violations of them have increased, now you can be fined from 20,000 to 500,000 rubles;
• the organizer is considered not only the person indicated in the application, but also an active citizen, who actually performs the role of the organizer, who bears all the responsibility;
• a new measure of punishment has been introduced, in addition to a fine and administrative arrest: the court may appoint community service.

Television sometimes shows terrible footage of dispersal of rallies. Clashes between the police and the angry mob often lead to sad consequences for both the participants in the meeting and the public as a whole.

Rallies of the past

12.07.2012. "March of millions" - demands were put forward to hold re-elections, send the president to resign, reduce the term for which he is elected.

09.05.2015. Rally dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Second World War, "No one is forgotten and nothing is forgotten." Recall that this year in Moscow more than 400,000 people took part in the Immortal Regiment rally and procession. Such an action was held in all cities, villages, farms of Russia.

23.03.2014. Rally in Ukraine against what is happening in the country, held in Kharkov. There is also a rally against mobilization.