“He gave us our freedom for a while.” A report from the funeral of Mikhail Gorbachev

The farewell ceremony for the first president of the USSR turned out like an act of protest. Many young people were in attendance, but the powers that be stayed away.

The queue to pay respects to Mikhail Gorbachev. Photo - Alexander Levinsky

Эта статья на русском языке

Many thanks to my dear friend Chris Booth for his help in translating and editing this article.

On Saturday morning, people leaving metro station ‘Teatralnaya’ were immediately greeted by barriers and riot police. But nobody was planning a demonstration. It was just to cordon off the route to the House of Unions where today last respects were paid to the first president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev.

 Although the organisers had promised open entry, nobody was allowed through the main entrance – it had been reserved for VIPs. As was learned later, agents from the Federal Protection Service had been ordered to oversee the service - ‘with elements of a state funeral’ - shortly before it started.

Ordinary people who had come to pay their respects were sent around the corner via Kopyev Lane, but it was also closed off. Just after nine, hundreds of people were already waiting at the barriers…