Defying Putin, Russians Return To The Streets To Demand Alexei Navalny's Release

Protests have gripped Russia for a second weekend in a row, as thousands ignored warnings of a mass crackdown and returned to the streets Sunday to once again demand the release of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

In a replay of last weekend's demonstrations, protesters were met by a vast show of force by the Russian authorities.

In Moscow, police in riot gear lined the streets and set up checkpoints, as city officials shut down seven Metro stations around the Kremlin in an attempt to restrict movement in the Russian capital. By early evening local time, nearly 4,000 people had been arrested throughout the country, including more than 1,000 in Moscow, according to OVD-info, an activist group that monitors arrests at protests.