Pussy Riot clashes with Russian Pavilion at Venice Biennale over censorship accusations

The Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale accused feminist punk collective Pussy Riot of censorship after being pressured to remove images of the group's protests from a documentary. The pavilion posted on Instagram a photo with the caption 'Censored on request by Pussy Riot,' alleging the collective did not want their acts included. Pussy Riot members responded with irony, noting that Instagram is banned in Russia since 2022. Nadya Tolokonnikova rejected the notion of a legitimate free speech debate, highlighting the asymmetry between a state apparatus and a persecuted dissident collective. The incident escalates a crisis that began before the Biennale's opening, with protests against Russia's participation due to the war in Ukraine. The pavilion had limited live presentations of its exhibition 'The Tree Is Rooted in the Sky' to the preview period, but the opening was overtaken by pro-Ukraine protesters, including Pussy Riot and FEMEN activists, who wore pink balaclavas and released blue and yellow smoke. The Biennale has not commented.