Cossacks attacked the Pussy Riot punk group with whips and pepper spray on February 19 as the group tried to perform under a sign advertising the Sochi Olympics. The group had gathered to perform in a downtown Sochi restaurant, about 30 kilometers from where the Winter Olympics are being held. They left the restaurant wearing bright dresses and ski masks and had only been performing for a few seconds when they were set upon by Cossacks.
Cossacks Attack Pussy Riot In Sochi
![A Cossack militiaman attacks Nadezhda Tolokonnikova as she and fellow members of the punk group Pussy Riot, including Maria Alyokhina (center, in the pink balaclava), stage a protest performance in Sochi, Russia, on February 19.](https://gdb.rferl.org/607c5441-c76e-42ea-bb24-a2b6f259720b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A Cossack militiaman attacks Nadezhda Tolokonnikova as she and fellow members of the punk group Pussy Riot, including Maria Alyokhina (center, in the pink balaclava), stage a protest performance in Sochi, Russia, on February 19.
![A Cossack attacks Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and a photographer as she and fellow members of the punk group Pussy Riot stage a protest performance in Sochi.](https://gdb.rferl.org/bb0beded-0431-4c68-9d85-42a7096406d9_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A Cossack attacks Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and a photographer as she and fellow members of the punk group Pussy Riot stage a protest performance in Sochi.
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/540e1732-c534-4c73-a635-19672bb04dd9_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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![A member of Pussy Riot lies on the ground as the group are attacked by Cossack militia.](https://gdb.rferl.org/77fa747e-7a66-4f6b-8635-56ef567e4087_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A member of Pussy Riot lies on the ground as the group are attacked by Cossack militia.
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/e21c87dc-3f65-4a59-ab7a-f438d1f15757_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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![A member of Pussy Riot is restrained by Cossacks after the attack.](https://gdb.rferl.org/05f4f98e-fa1d-47bc-adc0-63d3925d9a99_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A member of Pussy Riot is restrained by Cossacks after the attack.
![A member of Pussy Riot is restrained by a Cossack after the attack in Sochi.](https://gdb.rferl.org/b190af17-8afd-4179-9a8d-8e87ffe931c2_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A member of Pussy Riot is restrained by a Cossack after the attack in Sochi.