13:15

A crowd of hundreds has protested against tough social isolation measures taken against coronavirus in southern Russia, clashing with riot police and issuing demands that the local governor resign.

The protests took place on a central square in Vladikavkaz, the capital of Russia’s North Ossetia region, where locals demanded a relaxation of tough anti-coronavirus measures, including the closure of businesses, and greater financial support for those who had lost their jobs.

Matthew Luxmoore (@mjluxmoore) A hundreds-strong crowd of protesters in Russia's #Vladikavkaz has now apparently begun flinging stones at riot police, who have in turn commenced a crackdown. A woman stuck inside the regional administration calls them "morons" & "scum”. Video from the Алания24 Telegram channel pic.twitter.com/sYH3Zxps1a

Video posted to social media appeared to show protesters pelting the police with rocks, and police making several arrests. Kavkaz.Realiya, a local branch of RFERL, estimated the crowd at 700 people. Police had broken up the protests by Monday evening.

МБХ Медиа (@MBKhMedia) Владикавказ. Люди забрасывают ОМОН камнями. Видео: «Юг. МБХ медиа» pic.twitter.com/oTmtKzGbTN

According to Russian media, the protests were called by Vadim Cheldiev, an opera singer and activist who has publicly doubted the existence of a coronavirus pandemic. Late last week, he issued a call for locals to protest and violate the “self-isolation regime” under which Russians are expected to shelter at home.

“It’s all just fake,” he said in one video address posted on Facebook. “And I’m glad more people are starting not to believe in it.”

He was arrested and charged with spreading false information about coronavirus, a charge that can now lead to years in prison if that information contributes to someone’s death.

