THE Russian parliament has adopted a much-disputed bill that would allow Moscow's City Hall to pull down Soviet-era apartment buildings and relocate 1.6 million people.
The State Duma passed the bill overwhelmingly while dozens rallied outside, chanting: "For shame!"
Police grabbed several people from the crowd and took them to a police van.
The controversial plan would allow Moscow City Hall to pull down entire neighbourhoods, involving more than 4500 buildings.
The redevelopment project, arguably Russia's largest, has rattled many in Moscow who see the plans as an encroachment on their constitutional rights and a ruse to evict them from leafy neighbourhoods to high-rise ones on the city's outskirts.
City Hall insists that the buildings are dilapidated and their maintenance too costly.
Thousands of people took to the streets last month to protest against the plans in what was described as the city's largest non-political protest in years.
The bill now has to secure the approval of the upper chamber of the Russian parliament and be signed by President Vladimir Putin.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here