Riot police rounded up scores of opposition activists, including leaders of top liberal parties, rallying Nov. 25 against President Vladimir Putin's government.

Hundreds of police armed with shields, body armor and truncheons bore down on demonstrators gathered near St. Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum chanting "Russia without Putin!"

Some were beaten by police, and among those detained was a likely contender in March's presidential election, Boris Nemtsov, opposition leaders said. Police said they detained several dozen demonstrators, but an opposition activist put the number at 200.