Anti-Putin protestors rallied at the Destin Community Center Sunday to join their voices with others at dozens of rallies worldwide. Groups of Slavic communities and their supporters in America, from Sitka, Alaska to Miami, Florida, banded together to remember the third anniversary of the attempted assassination of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and to protest the war in Ukraine. Protests also took place from Argentina to Israel in solidarity, according to a website whose founders helped organize the event. 

Navalny is a prominent Russian opposition leader, lawyer, and anti-corruption activist known for his criticism of the Russian government in general and Vladimir Putin in particular. 

In addition to his online activities, Navalny engaged in street protests and demonstrations against the government. His activism made him a key figure in the Russian opposition movement, advocating for political transparency, accountability, and democratic reforms. He also criticized the ruling United Russia party and President Vladimir Putin’s administration.

For over two decades, Putin’s leadership has marred civil society in Russia and Eastern Europe with numerous instances of violence, including the deaths of journalists, politicians, and countless innocent individuals. 

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has amplified the consequences of Putin’s actions, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives. Putin’s hands are stained with the blood of both innocent civilians and those who dared to oppose his regime.

The choice of Destin as a rally site was deliberate, driven by its above-average concentration of Russian and Ukrainian workers and immigrants. 

The protesters conveyed an unwavering message: “Putin is a Killer,” the protestors chanted.