A day after its release from jail, Pussy Riot tried to stage its punk protest today in Sochi, only to be met by whip-wielding police officers. Six group members—including the recently freed Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina—donned the collective’s signature ski masks and were about to launch into “Putin Will Teach You To Love The Motherland,” when at least 10 Cossack militiamen intervened. The Cossacks pulled the masks from the women’s heads, used pepper spray, and beat Tolokonnikova with a whip as she lay on the ground. Alyokina has since Tweeted photos of the group’s injuries, including a photo of Tolokonnikova in what looks to be a hospital bed. There’s also video of the whole thing below that is incredibly hard to watch.
Police eventually arrived to calm the scene, and no arrests were made.