Showbiz
Bethan McKernan
Jun 27, 2015
Pussy Riot certainly got this year's Glastonbury weekend started with a bang.
At the opening of their performance on Friday a man dressed as a soldier drove up to the Park stage in a Russian military truck and brandished an AK-47 as he declared the "People's Republic of Glastonbury" before feminist punk activists Nadya Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina jumped onto the vehicle.
Picture: Rex FeaturesThe pair tackled the pawn symbolising Vladimir Putin's regime to the floor, forced a rainbow balaclava over his head, bound him up and shouted, “F--k you with your f--king guns!”
Picture: Rex FeaturesTolokonnikova and Alyokhina both served time in prison for rebelling against Putin's authority, and were only released thanks to international pressure just ahead of the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, when the president was trying to cultivate favour in the international community.
After the performance Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina, who have been formally ex-communicated by the other members of Pussy Riot over differences in activism strategies, were joined by self-declared Welsh 'prosecco socialist' Charlotte Church, who interviewed them about their ideals and their time in prison.
Picture: Rex FeaturesThe pair told Church about the ten rules of Pussy Riot, which include "living your life like it could become a movie", starting the day with coffee, "thinking feminist" and "staying queer".
Picture: Rex FeaturesThey also urged the crowd to support the Ukrainian movement against Putin, whom they dubbed "one insane quasi-superhero half-naked riding on the horse, the man who is not afraid of anyone, except gays."
“Can I join the revolution too?” said Church. “I want to be in Pussy Riot.”
Glastonbury's other Friday guest of honour, Stephen Hawking, had to cancel - organisers did not give a reason why he pulled out but said the astrophysicist had expressed sadness he couldn't make it.
More: The Chinese government is absolutely furious about Glastonbury this year
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