MOSCOW (BNO NEWS) -- Russian police on Saturday arrested two opposition leaders and dozens of activists during a protest demanding freedom of assembly in Moscow.

According to Ria Novosti, police arrested opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, and Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Leftist Front opposition group after a police officer was pushed by a female protester. Moscow police department spokesman Viktor Biryukov said the police officer fell and cut his face on broken glass.

Nemtsov told a RIA that he was charged for disobeying police orders, but he and Udaltsov were later released.

Police said that at least 135 activists who took part in unauthorized rallies in Moscow and St. Petersburg were detained. According to the Interior Ministry, 13 rallies took place across the country.

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