Thousands of people defied the threat of arrest by attending the funeral of Alexei Navalny in Moscow, embracing one of the last remaining avenues to register their anger at President Vladimir Putin as well as mourning one of the few politicians capable of standing up to the Russian leader.

The Kremlin had warned Russians against attending what it called spontaneous memorials for the opposition leader, who died in an Arctic prison camp last month. But security forces largely took a hands-off approach to the procession of mourners that made its way from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God to the cemetery where Navalny was laid to rest. 

Some in the crowd shouted, “No to war.” Others joined in with calls of “Putin is a murderer” and “Free political prisoners.”

Concern remains high that people who turned out to pay their respects could face reprisals after the presidential election later this month. Putin is expected to easily win that poll, and his challengers are carefully vetted. Analysts said the Kremlin sees a strong showing in the election as a way to legitimize his rule as the war in Ukraine moves into its third year. With the vote coming, it couldn’t risk disrupting Navalny’s Orthodox Christian burial, analysts said.