The protesters titled themselves "Hares in Support of Starving Bureaucrats" and some wore hare masks. The name "hare" referred to the Russian slang word "zayat" which describes people who travel without paying their fare.

They went to the Transport Committee’s offices on Sunday afternoon, formed a line and took it in turns to throw small coins at the doorstep.

Others put up leaflets near the entrance and hare skull logos on the wall. They pointed out massive financial violations by the Transport Committee that had been mentioned in an audit published on Dec. 19 by the St Petersburg Audit Chamber.