The 37th Annual New York April Fools’ Day Parade goes worldwide and kicks off early with a call to everyone to activate everywhere.

“MASK UP. HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF PUTIN!”

This year, New York’s beloved annual April Fools’ Day Parade, which pokes fun at outrageous displays of dishonesty, greed, hypocrisy, deceit, and bigotry, is going global. For the past 36 years, the public has been invited to create outrageous floats and dress up as look-alikes in colorful costumes to reflect the folly of duplicitous politicians, crooked corporate leaders, superficial celebrities, and whoever else has proven to be a total fool in the past year. The parade, which has always been a protest against war, corruption, propaganda and deceit, has marched down 5th Avenue from 57th Street to Washington Square Park for the crowning of the King of Fools.

This past year has provided no shortage of fools to choose from, but nothing can top the most egregious, corrupt, exploitive, vile and horrific actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The theme of the 2022 parade is “MASK UP. HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF PUTIN!” and we’re not waiting for Friday, April 1st, to start the parade. People everywhere are encouraged to activate IMMEDIATELY.

We stand with the people of Ukraine and with Russians who oppose Putin’s despotic aggression. To help make their voices heard, we’re offering these Putin masks to download, share, print, wear, and put in public places everywhere.

Individual masks and instructions for use are here.

Says Parade organizer Joey Skaggs, “Use your freedom to express yourself. Silence is consent.”

Elton John ‘happy to be pranked’ if it sheds light on gay rights
By Faith Karimi
CNN
September 18, 2015

Pranks may be for giggles. But gay rights — not so much, Elton John says.

The pop star responded to a prank by a Russian TV celebrity who called him this week pretending to be President Vladimir Putin.

“Pranks are funny. Homophobia, however is never funny,” he said in a post Thursday. “I love Russia and my offer to talk to President Putin about LGBT rights still stands.”

Read the whole story here.

Pussy Riot Unveil Plans for Human Rights Organization
by Patrick Reevell
Rollingstone
December 27, 2013

Freed musicians return to Moscow to announce next steps, which do not include touring

On Friday, Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina held their first public press conference since their release from prison on Monday. They unveiled their plans for a new human rights organization and said they remain committed to bringing down Russian president Vladimir Putin.

“The system ought to be in shape. We’re going to force it to get into it,” Tolokonnikova told hundreds of journalists at the studios of the Russian opposition TV station, TV Rain. “We intend to help with the advancement and reaction to complaints of prisoners about the conditions of their incarceration. We want to provide them with legal aid.”

(more…)

Why three members of Pussy Riot were arrested

Here’s the video of their protest in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow:

More on the subject:

image: Meeting Pussy Riot” target=”_blank”>Vice.com

Global activists gear up for Pussy Riot rallies
by Nataliya Vasilyeva
Associated Press
August 15, 2012

Moscow (AP) – The global campaign to free Pussy Riot is gaining speed: Supporters of the punk provocateur band are mobilizing this week in at least two dozen cities worldwide to hold simultaneous demonstrations an hour before a Russian court rules on whether its members will be sent to prison.

Friday’s rallies will ride a wave of support for the three women who have been in jail for more than five months because of an anti-Putin prank in Moscow’s main cathedral. Calls for them to be freed have come from a long list of celebrities such as Madonna and Bjork. Protests have been held in a number of Western capitals, including Berlin, where last week about 400 people joined Canadian electro-pop performance artist Peaches to support the band.

In one of the most extravagant displays, Reykjavik Mayor Jon Gnarr rode through the streets of the Icelandic capital in a Gay Pride parade this weekend dressed like a band member – wearing a bright pink dress and matching balaclava – while lip-synching to one of Pussy Riot’s songs.

Although the band members and their lawyers are convinced that the verdict depends entirely on the will of President Vladimir Putin, and prosecutors have asked for a three-year sentence, activists hope their pressure will ease punishment or even free the women. (more…)