This weekend’s win by the French national soccer team over Croatia was not the only sensational thing happening on the field at the World Cup Final.
The game, which took place in Moscow, was temporarily hijacked by four individuals running onto the field dressed in police uniforms. The Russian activist-protest band Pussy Riot took credit for the event in a Twitter video, claiming that the pitch invasion was meant to honor the anniversary of the death of a Russian poet named Dmitri Prigov. The poet was known for a series of poems focusing on Soviet policemen, and for his outspoken challenging of the Russian government.
The protestors were all arrested within moments of their appearance, although one protestor was actually able to get a high five from French player Kylian Mbappé. Pussy Riot has made a number of demands of the Russian government consistent with their general platform, but at least in France, this will likely be the last thing that viewers will remember about this game.
