POLICE thwarted an anti-Kremlin protest organised by Garry Kasparov’s opposition group yesterday, seizing demonstrators and shoving them into trucks. They detained at least 100 people including the group’s co-leader.

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov will not run for the Russian presidency because his supporters have been unable to rent a hall for a nomination gathering, his spokeswoman said today.

Dozens of opposition activists were detained by riot police today as they tried to rally against Russian President Vladimir Putin's government in central St Petersburg.

About 1,000 anti-Kremlin protesters rallied in Russia's second largest city today, a day after a similar demonstration in Moscow brought clashes with police and at least 170 arrests.

More than 2,000 people held a rare anti-government rally in Moscow on today, accusing the Kremlin of growing authoritarianism and protesting against electoral law changes.