Police in Moscow have detained at least 25 people preparing to participate in an anti-Kremlin protest organized by opposition leader and former chess champion Garry Kasparov.
Kasparov's "Other Russia" movement had vowed to march in central Moscow Sunday despite being denied a permit to hold the demonstration.
The protesters were detained at a Moscow square, where Kasparov had planned to start what he called a "Dissenter's March."
Witnesses say police surrounded the square and grabbed protesters as they tried to enter. An opposition Web site kasparov.ru said movement co-founder Eduard Limonov was among those taken into custody.
On Saturday, Kasparaov announced a new opposition movment called Solidarity. He told delegates meeting outside Moscow that he was optimistic about the future of the movement.
Russia's Itar-Tass news agency Saturday dismissed the new grouping, saying it is little more than a "re-branding" attempt by what it called "radical liberals."
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP.
