The story of the scandalous punk prayer in the temple, the arrest of the girls from the Pussy Riot group and their subsequent sentencing to two years in prison caused a strong resonance in the society. The participants of the action turned many against themselves, but also many came out in support of them.
One of the most striking actions in defense of Pussy Riot was an open letter to 103 cultural figures in June 2012. These prominent Russians signed a letter demanding the release of the girls. Not all of them directly supported the action in the church and the activities of the participants, but all noted that this could not be considered a criminal offense. Among the signatories are Ch. Khamatova, O. Basilashvili, E. Mironov, F. Bondarchuk, Y. Shevchuk, E. Ryazanov, etc.
The group's supporters also collected signatures on the Internet under an open letter to Patriarch Kirill, asking him to show Christian mercy and petition to close the criminal case before the court.
Actions in support of the group took place both in Russia and abroad. These were both single pickets and actions with the participation of several people. Abroad, for example in Prague and Berlin, actions took place in front of the buildings of the Russian embassies.
In interviews, at their performances, foreign cultural figures and musicians spoke out in support of the punk group. These are singers Madonna, Bjork, Patti Smith, Peaches, singers Sting, Paul McCartney, Faith No More, writer Stephen Fry, etc.
There are also foreign politicians among the supporters. For example, in August 2012, more than a hundred members of the German parliament in an open letter protested against the detention of girls in a pre-trial detention center, stating that this is a restriction of freedom of speech and a violation of human rights. The Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, as well as the EU representative in Russia Fernando Valenula, also spoke out for the release of Pussy Riot.
Actions in support of the girls also took place during the court hearings in the case. At the same time, they did not do without detentions. So, on the day of the sentencing on August 17, actions were held in different countries of the world. And in Moscow, unidentified persons put on balaclavas on the monuments of A. Pushkin and N. Goncharova and on the sculptures of partisans at the Belorusskaya metro station. Outside the courthouse, Pussy Riot supporters played and supported the band's songs.
