What Is the Pussy Riot? Radical Activists Demand Russia Removal From Venice Biennale During Powerful Pro-Democracy Rally

Anti-Kremlin punk group the Pussy Riot staged a protest outside the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale forcing to temporarily shut down.

Controversy has surrounded this years Biennale as the Russians have been allowed to participate for the first time since the war with Ukraine began.

'Russia Kills Biennale Exhibits'

'They're drinking vodka and champagne in their pavilion, soaked in the blood of Ukrainian children,' Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova said.

'It's not just tanks and drones, murder and rape in Ukraine. It's also culture, art, language...it's the way [Russia] tries to conquer the West and you guys just opened the doors to them,' she continued.

At the protest they set off smoke flares and put their fists in the air screaming 'Russia kills! Biennale exhibits!'.

A UK government spokesperson said in response to Russia competing at this event, 'The UK strongly opposes Russia's participation at the Venice Biennale. We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine who have endured more than four years of illegal Russian aggression.'

'As a result we have made the decision not to have government ministers attend the Biennale this year.'

What is the Venice Biennale?

The Venice Biennale, 'has been for 130 years one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world. Established in 1895, La Biennale had an attendance of over 800,000 visitors at the Art Exhibition in 2022. The history of the La Biennale di Venezia dates back from 1895, when the first International Art Exhibition was organized,' it says of the Evenice Biennale Website.

In the 1930s new festivals were born: Music, Cinema, and Theatre (the Venice Film Festival in 1932 was the first film festival in history). In 1980 the first International Architecture Exhibition took place, and in 1999 Dance made its debut at La Biennale.

The Biennale is held every two years in Venice.

Biennale Controversy

Before the event, the jury which selects the winner of the Golden Lion prizes resigned after stating they would not consider entries from countries whose leaders were subject to arrest warrants; which blocked them from voting on Russia and Israel.

An Italian news outlet claimed that the jury resigned after they were told by the biennale's legal team that they could be held personally responsible if Israel decided to pursue the matter legally. On Wednesday, a representative from the biennale confirmed to the Guardian that the report was accurate.

'This is our house, we come to our place,' the Russia pavilion's official commissioner Anastasia Karneeva said, when asked if Russia had any place at the Biennale as it had invaded Ukraine.

'I don't think about the protests. I am very busy,' she said.

Karneeva's father is deputy head of Rostec, Russia's giant state weapons producer, which is currently under international sanctions