Authorities in St. Petersburg announced on Thursday that they had carried out a series of raids targeting street performers, resulting in the issuance of numerous citations and the seizure of musical instruments. This operation follows the arrest of the street band Stoptime and is part of a broader crackdown.

The city’s legal affairs committee, which oversees public order and local regulations, indicated that these raids were conducted in collaboration with law enforcement as part of “routine oversight activities” from October 20 to October 31.

The aim of the operation was to “detect and prevent violations of the regulations governing street performances,” according to the committee’s statement on Telegram.

“To prevent further offenses, the instruments and items associated with these violations were confiscated,” the committee explained, referring specifically to items like guitars, amplifiers, and sound equipment.

In total, 23 administrative citations were filed under local laws that govern public performances and noise levels. These regulations stipulate that prior permission is necessary for street music or demonstrations in busy areas.

This crackdown coincides with intensified police actions against musicians and supporters of Stoptime, whose members faced consecutive jail sentences last month for performing songs by artists classified as “foreign agents.”

The band’s arrests have led to a wave of solidarity concerts and individual protests throughout Russia, a petition signed by 100 people submitted to the presidential administration demanding the release of the band members, and flyers distributed across St. Petersburg.