This Friday, August 17, is the date set for the Pussy Riot verdict. Coinciding with the verdict will a global Pussy Riot day. Rallies are being held around the world in locations as far-flung as Barcelona, Nice, Reykjavik, Dublin and Brisbane. (For the full list of rally sites, hop over to FreePussyRiot.org.) And some of these protest actions are quite creative, like the members of Pussy Riot themselves.

At the New York City rally page on Facebook, it’s noted that “there are a number of actions occurring in NYC in support of Pussy Riot this week.” Supporters will undertake actions at the Russian Consulate/St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, perform a musical masquerade march to Times Square, where they will then rally at mid-day.

Protesters will also meet at the Breslin Bar and Dining Room at the Ace Hotel. “On the eve of the verdict in the Pussy Riot trial, an energetic evening of readings of the inspirational court room statements by the detained woman of Pussy Riot,” reads a Facebook page description. “The narrated program will also include selected prison letters and other translated material along with court room attendees written observations.”

This calls to mind the sort of protest theater typical of the Diggers and Yippies.

Though many media outlets have recently hopped on the Pussy Riot coverage bandwagon, perhaps for reasons other than the members’ politics, it is encouraging to see the mainstream media cover dissidents who have very clear anarchist impulses. And, in doing so, they celebrate the right to express an opinion that doesn’t find individuals supplicating themselves before the religious throne of crony capitalism that exists both in Russia and the United States.