Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

Since 2004, a growing group of creative youngsters in Novosibirsk has held a strange parade on May Day called Monstration, where demonstrators dress up in odd costumes and carry deliberately absurd slogans. This year, city officials refused to allow the carnival to march through downtown Novosibirsk.

When Monstration demonstrators tried to join the city’s sanctioned May Day march today, police turned them around. So the parade went the opposite direction, away from the city’s center, and a small group even found its way to city hall, where demonstrators demanded to speak to the mayor, Anatoly Lokot, who roundly ignored them. Before long, the group dispersed and 2015’s Monstration was over.

During the parade, no one was arrested, but afterwards police did detain Artem Loskutov, Monstration’s creator and organizer, on charges of organizing an unsanctioned rally and disobeying police.

The slogans at this year’s Monstration parade were very much in the spirit of the times in Russia today. Participants alluded to the scandal surrounding the production of Richard Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser, which authorities say violates the right to freedom of conscience and religion in Russia. Other signs poked fun at Russia’s growing number of censorship cases

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"I am here."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

Left: "Oatmeal is evil." Right: "They force my brother to eat oatmeal!!!"

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"Rights to drivers! Children to parents!"

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

Left: "I got your theater right here." Right: "We are all Artem [Loskutov]!"

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"I don't want to play."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"Whoever undresses me sheds tears." (A children's rhyme about onions.)

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"Thank you, God, for Darwin."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"That awkward moment."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"Who will protect the ferret?"

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"We are made from a different kind of dough."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"I'm your sugar packet."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"Down with chicks behind the wheel!"

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"Killing and maiming people ... is bad."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"The train is speeding into the abyss."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"Dance! Why act like you're not party of the family."

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"How much are the bananas at the opera house?"

Photo: Anton Karliner / Meduza

"That's all for me."