Legendary Bolshevik cruiser ‘Aurora’ flies Jolly Roger

Three young people climbed the mast of the famous cruiser “Aurora” in St. Petersburg and ran up a black flag where the revolutionary red Bolsheviks' banner once fluttered.

On October 16 eight young people managed to sneak onboard the ship, now a museum, while 30 of their friends watched them from shore. Five people were detained by staff on the cruiser and transferred to a local police station. They will be charged with vandalism and conducting an unauthorized campaign. The remaining three youngsters, however, remained on the mast after hoisting the colors.

Soon after the incident took place, police and rescuers arrived on the scene. They tried to persuade the young people to climb down from the mast. The latter, however, refused to descend until the five who had been arrested were released. A St. Petersburg organization called “Narodnaya Dolya” (“People's Take”) and “Food for Bombs” claimed responsibility for the incident. Their declared aim is to protest against poverty in Russia.