Pussy Riot Use Their Riot Fest Set To Demand Justice For A Fallen Comrade And For All The Oppressed

 Nadya “Tolokno” Tolokonnikova and the rest of the 14-member Pussy Riot posse marched onstage Friday at Riot Fest wearing frilly white blouses, athletic pants, and DayGlo green balaclavas, holding up a huge sign demanding justice for a fallen comrade: “We will punish those who poisoned Peter Verzilov.” Aside from the group’s DJ, only Tolokonnikova wasn’t wearing the signature Pussy Riot mask—hers sat on top of her head. As such you could call Tolokonnikova the face of the group, but its members clearly included different races, genders, body types, and levels of ability (one woman had come out in a wheelchair).


  Pussy Riot’s social and political commentary targeted the United States as well as Russia—they performed “Track About a Good Cop,” which is about their World Cup protest, and “Make America Great Again.” During an intermission, a computerized voice recited 25 facts about wealth inequality.