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Moscow police, army brace themselves for 'weekend of rallies'

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MOSCOW, January 30 (RIA Novosti) - Police and the military in Moscow are bracing themselves for more than 10 rallies expected to be held in the Russian capital this weekend by different parties and organizations, a police spokesman said.

Over 7,500 police and military personnel will be on duty and a special headquarters will be set up to monitor the sanctioned events in central Moscow, Viktor Biryukov said. All attempts to hold unauthorized rallies will be avoided, he added.

The biggest rally on Saturday will be organized by the ruling United Russia party on Moscow's Manezh Square in support of the anti-crisis measures undertaken by the Russian government. Some 5,000 people are expected to attend the rally.

The Communist Party will also hold a demonstration in support of Lenin's Mausoleum situated on Red Square in Moscow. They are insisting that the Soviet leader remain in the mausoleum despite demands that the body be buried at a cemetery.

The ultra-nationalist LDPR party will gather on Pushkin Square to protest against price rises amid the current global crisis. Up to 300 people are expected to participate in a number of other demonstrations.

Meanwhile, the Other Russia opposition coalition has also announced plans to hold a "Day of Dissent" in Moscow on January 31 with demonstrations to be held simultaneously across Moscow at 2:00 p.m. (11:00 GMT).

The Other Russia coalition, an umbrella group of opposition parties that includes chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov's United Civil Front, has accused the government of failing to tackle the consequences of the current financial crisis.

The most recent opposition marches were held in Moscow and St. Petersburg on December 14. In downtown Moscow more than 90 people were arrested for trying to hold an unauthorized opposition rally, while in St. Petersburg some 60 people were detained.

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