Political punk-rock heroes Anti-Flag have been using the proceeds from two of their recent gigs in Hamburg and Berlin to raise funds for the jailed Russian feminist punk rock collective Pussy Riot.
Anti-Flag held a special sold-out benefit show last month in Berlin, alongside Radio Havanna and Smile and Burn in which proceeds were donated to the Free Pussy Riot campaign . As well as this, the bands and crowd wrote a series of letters of encouragement to send to the incarcerated members. The venue also agreed to donate an amount of the nights takings to help the cause. While at the Hamburg show, the band donated two euros from each ticket sold.
In February this year, three members of the Russian political activist group, Pussy Riot, were arrested in Russia for performing their protest song ‘Virgin Mary, Redeem Us of Putin’ in Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich have all been charged with “hooliganism”, whilst they are currently on trial if found guilty they could be facing a seven year sentence.
In order to help spread the word of Pussy Riot‘s situation as well as defending the right to free speech, Anti-Flag have recorded their own version of the infamous track, which can be heard here.
For more information visit the Free Pussy Riot website.
