Police detain participants in Russian opposition forum

Russian police detained more than 170 participants of a forum of independent members of municipal councils on Saturday (Victor Berezkin/AP)

Russian police have detained more than 170 participants of a forum of independent members of municipal councils, a move that comes amid the authorities’ multi-pronged crackdown on dissent.

Police attended the gathering in Moscow shortly after it opened, saying that all those present would be detained for taking part in an event arranged by an “undesirable” organisation.