Pussy Riot storm Russian pavillion at Venice Biennale

Russian punk band Pussy Riot and members of a Ukrainian feminist group stormed the Russian pavilion at Venice Biennale, an art exhibition in Italy.

50 members of feminist groups opposed to Vladimir Putin, blockaded the highly controversial pavilion while Italian authorities stopped them from entering and temporarily shut the building.

Under a cloud of blue and pink smoke the protestors covered their faces with pink balaclavas and shouted “Blood is Russia’s art” and “Disobey”.

They chanted and played a punk rock song before dispersing without confrontation.

"After years of war, you guys just opened the door to them," said Pussy Riot founder Nadya Tolokonnikova as reported by Sky News.

“So-called soft power, things, things that seemingly for some people are not important or not political.

"For Russia, it's clear that it's part of their military strategy, and that's the way they try to conquer the West," she said.

Protestes de Pussy Riot i Femen durant la inauguració de la Biennal de Venècia.

Les activistes s'han manifestat davant del pavelló de Rússia contra la presència d'aquest país al certamen, amb bengales i banderes d'Ucraïna https://t.co/2kd2LnBYsa pic.twitter.com/NdZPVaZuMB

— 3CatInfo (@3CatInfo) May 6, 2026

This year marks Russia’s first appearance at La Biennale di Venezia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Organisers said the Russian pavilion will remain closed to the public and performances will instead be recorded and shown on screens during the exhibition.

The opening has already cost €2m (£1.73m) in EU funding and sparked chaos during the normally calm week of previews at the festival.

The jury resigned last week in protest at both Russia and Israel's participation, citing crimes against humanity.

The jury's unprecedented resignation came after it announced that it would not award the highly sought after Golden Lion prizes to countries under investigation by the International Criminal Court for human rights abuses, taking Russia and Israel out of the running.

Nadya Tolokonnikova is expected to feature at the Dalkey Book Festival this year from June 12-15.