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Russian union leader wants weird slogans away from demonstration

Protesters carry a banners that say "Oil belongs to the people" as tens of thousands demonstrators rally against the third term of President Vladimir Putin and also laws aimed to curb protests in Moscow, Russia on June 12, 2012. UPI
Protesters carry a banners that say "Oil belongs to the people" as tens of thousands demonstrators rally against the third term of President Vladimir Putin and also laws aimed to curb protests in Moscow, Russia on June 12, 2012. UPI | License Photo

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KRASNOYARSK, Russia, April 24 (UPI) -- An official with a Russian trade union is asking participants in a planned protest to avoid bizarre slogans on their banners and placards.

Oleg Isyanov, a regional trade union chief preparing for a May 1 demonstration in Krasnoyarsk, said he wants to keep banners and placards at the event "appropriate," RIA Novosti reported Wednesday.

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A movement known in Russia as "monstranty" has seen participants carry banners and placards at protests across the country bearing nonsensical slogans such as "peace, work, cat;" "deers can't even think;" and we are for everything."

"We will not object if they march under slogans such as 'fair labor' or 'fair salaries,'" Isyanov said. "But if they turn up with slogans we don't understand ... we will try to make sure they don't march with us."

A member of the "monstranty" movement said about 50 members are expected to participate in the May 1 rally.

"Our slogans are not against the law," the member told RIA Novosti.

The May 1 demonstration is a tradition among Russian union members to mark the country's Spring and Labor Day, which dates back to the early days of the Soviet Union.

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