Update on our #BoycottStPetersburgBallet protest in Johannesburg that was held on 26 July. We were escorted out by security because apparently we were disrupting the guests by handing out flyers. 

Before we continue, please note that you can find photos and videos of the evening on Twitter:

Tweet 1: A more detailed breakdown of the evening, including videos.

Tweet 2: A summary of our rights as protesters.

Tweet 3: Before and after — what our table at the restaurant looked like, followed by a video of us packing everything up. 

Tweet 4: Questions raised by Monte Casino's behaviour last night — what does it mean for freedom of speech in South Africa?

We booked a really nice table at a restaurant across from the Teatro's entrance and decorated it with Ukrainian flags and yellow and blue balloons

The moment we started handing out flyers, security pounced on us, telling us we weren't allowed to do so and that we were disrupting the guests. So we stopped. We went back and just chilled and at the table and discussed what to do, Lesya from the Ukrainian Association of South Africa tried to explain to security that, as per the Regulation of Gatherings Act, we're allowed to protest on private property that's partially open to the public (like Monte Casino) if we're less than 15 people (which we were). She also showed them the specific sections pertaining to this in the Right2Know's Activist Guide.

Security, however, was uninterested and told us to remove our flags and balloons, because "what if some russians don't like your flag colours, come to [us] and then a fight starts". We decided to remove the flags and balloons and finish our drinks, however security had a problem with this, telling us that we had to leave and that it's an order from the top level of security.

So Monte Casino decided that the best way to prevent a possible fight is not to expect russians to behave themselves, but rather by stamping down on people’s rights. It also says a lot about them that they'd rather tell us to remove our flags and balloons than make sure people don’t pick a fight because they don’t like it.

To Monte Casino: You know what we don’t like? The fact that russia is committing genocide in Ukraine. And that the ballet that’s currently being hosted at your premises funds russia’s war.