Axe Wielding Man Threatens Judge In Pussy Riot Case

A man wielding an axe has been arrested after threatened the judge presiding over the case against Russian punk group Pussy Riot. Witnesses speaking with the Moscow Times have reported the man entered the office of Judge Yelena Ivanova in Moscow's Tagansky Court after asking people nearby where he could submit court petition and, despite his seeming “decently” behaved at first, screaming was heard from the office some time later, at which point bailiffs entered the office and handcuffed the man, later advising media that the man had threatened the judge with an axe.

Pussy Riot, an all female punk rock group, were arrested in February after performing a song called Holy Shit as a “punk prayer” in opposition to support the Russian Orthodox Church was giving to Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin. Last week a demonstration outside the court where their case was being heard ended with 13 arrests, after which a spokesman for Putin said the Russian Orthodox Church was under attack from “anti-Russian forces”.

It is believed that the members of Pussy Riot could face up to seven years in prison if convicted of charges pertaining to aggravated hooliganism.