Russian dissident film screened at Hoover

 

Lyubov Sobol at the Hoover Institute, June 24, 2025/By Patricia Leslie

Lyubov Sobol is a human rights activist, a former attorney for Alexei Navalny (1976-2024), and a Russian native forced to flee her native country to avoid another prosecution and likely imprisonment.

She and filmmaker Marianna Yarovskaya were at the D.C. office of the Hoover Institute last week for the presentation of Lyuba's Hope, a film about Sobol's life as a dissident in Russia. 

Her hope is that Russia will become a democracy.

Sobol has been arrested multiple times for her opposition to Putin and her campaign for freedom in Russia.

The film opens with the police banging on the door of her residence before they barge in to take her away again, the first of her many clashes with the Russian gestapo.

A 2021 article in the New Yorker says that at one time, Sobol was sentenced to her home every night and banned from using the internet or telephone, accused of aiding Navalny.  

She had to wear an electronic ankle monitor and was prevented from running for public office, declared ineligible by the government. She notably conducted an investigation of Yevgeny Prigozhin* and found that his company poisoned Moscow kindergarteners with tainted food. 

Navalny and Sobol are shown together in several clips; at age 22, she was his organization's first attorney and grew to become Russia's' second most popular public opposition leader.

In 2019 the BBC named Sobol to its Leadership category on its list of 100 "inspiring and influential women from around the world." 

Her efforts to fight for democracy in Russia were honored by a 2019 Sergei Magnitsky Award.

Marianna Yarovskaya, left, and Lyubov Sobol at the Hoover Institute, June 24, 2025/By Patricia Leslie

About 60 came to see the film and packed the Hoover's D.C. office. I sat beside a Swedish economist who, within 60 seconds of greeting me, said that the U.S. today reminds him of 1933 when Hitler rose to power. He said his specialties are the economies of Russia and Ukraine.

Hoover is a conservative think tank, associated with Stanford University and founded in 1919 by Herbert Hoover before he became president. 

Some of its alums include Henry Kissinger, Milton Friedman, and Newt Gingrich. Condoleezza Rice is the director. Its first honorary fellow, named in 1975, was Ronald Reagan.

Sobol, now 37, enjoys her life now in Estonia, but it is not home which, I gathered from the film, is where she longs to be. 

During the screening I was constantly taken aback by her bravery, confidence and determination, none wavering in the Putin onslaught of her rights.  She, driven by her belief that Putin is wrong for Russia, wrong for the world.

The film's producer and Hoover Fellow, Paul Gregory, worked with Yarovskaya on the documentary film, Women of the Gulag, which was short-listed for the 2019 Academy Awards.  

*Prigozhin was the owner of the private military company, Wagner, before Putin had him killed in an airplane crash in 2023. His death resulted from the rebellion he led due to disagreements with Putin and Putin's regime over perceived mismanagement of Russia's campaign in the war for Ukraine.

patricialesli@gmail.com

No Kings protests in Falls Church, VA

 

At the 5 p.m. No Kings rally today in Falls Church, this lady said she hurried to make the sign to recognize the murders today in Minnesota of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife/By Patricia Leslie

Falls Church, VA may have only 14,685 residents (2023), but more than a tenth of that number showed up today at two No Kings rallies, one beginning at 11 a.m. and the other, at 5 p.m., both attracting huge crowds.

At the noontime No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

When I expected to find, maybe, 100 souls like me to join No Kings, I knew it was going to be a really big day as I approached Broad and Washington and saw many protesters carrying signs. 

The 11 a.m. group filled both sides of Broad from around Maple up to Cherry Street, according to an cyclist who also doubled as an "inventory specialist," riding up and down the street. After walking the route, I confirmed his number about an hour later.

We estimated the size to be about 2,000 hardy souls, smiling, happy to be there, sharing many things in common, especially one.

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, a child holds a "No Kings" sign with a crown and a big X through it (many of these seen throughout the day). Another sign says: "Trump America's Hitler" and another: "If Kamala Was President We'd All Be At Brunch"/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, The green sign reads: "Vaccines Cause Adults"/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, the Falls Church Episcopal permitted the No Kings organizers to erect a tent on church property and give out water and snacks to protestors./By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA. Her sign says: "We R Watching U"/By Patricia Leslie

Not only did we celebrate No Kings with those standing, sitting, and walking on the streets but we were joined by horn-blowers who passed by in their vehicles. They clapped, smiled, shouted, and held signs from their open roof tops and car doors in support of our mission.

The 5 p.m. rally ran from about E. Fairfax to Jefferson along Washington where a driver for the U.S. Post Office and one driving a public bus both joined the honking and waved to show their support.

(A "scientific survey" estimated the percentage of vehicle drivers to be about 99.95% in favor of No Kings, the lone exception seen on Washington Street, a sign for the White House occupant attached to a car door. Boo! Like on Halloween.)

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, she said her husband got the hat for her.  It says "Making Reptile Shows Great Again."  She's wearing a 
"no DOGE" sticker which a couple distributed./By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

From left, their signs read: "No Kings 1776; No Slaves 1865; No Nazis 1945; No Kings 2025" and she has a sign with an orangehead with a long red tie and a crown on his head being flushed. A plunger stands at the ready, about to take him down the toilet/By Patricia Leslie


At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, there was question whether all in leadership read/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, ain't it the truth, sister!/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, one of my favorites of the day./By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA.  Look, Ma!  The California state flag!/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, another one of my favs./By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, this woman said her son is in the Army. She lamented the deceiver-in-chief's parade cost of $45 million which I heard will be paid by the Army which gets its funding from...you and me! A very pricey birthday party!  

But (depending upon your source) about a third or a half that amount is the estimated cost for an upcoming wedding for another billionaire which WE do not directly fund, unless you shop at Amazon, Whole Foods, and/or subscribe to his slanted sheet, the Washington Post/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA. Her sign reads:  "Live, Laugh Lock Him Up!"/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA. The sign on the right says: "Democracy has NO King"/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA. She doesn't like a "Taco King."/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, the sign holder said she was a nurse and the only material she had to make this sign was the flip side of an illustration on stroke symptoms. A worthy cause for sure, supported by stroke victims! /By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA. Her sign reads: "Orange is the new HATE"/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, these ladies were kind enough to haul a cooler with water which they offered to participants. Other distributed literature such as "Know Your Rights" if ICE comes calling: 

Get a lawyer now. You have the right to remain silent, with or without a lawyer present. If you cannot afford a lawyer, non-profit agencies will help you get one. Unless agents have a warrant signed by a judge, you have the right to refuse access to your home, your purse, your wallet, your phone, your car and other belongings. Do not run. If you are stopped in a car, ask the agent to slide the warrant through a window. Do not get out of your car or open your door. You have the right to refuse to show any documents before speaking with your lawyer. Always carry your green card or visa with you. Never carry false papers.

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA.  He was wearing some fancy socks, too./By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA. Can you read the slogan on her shirt?/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA, the U.S. flag was probably carried more than any sign. "They" can't claim our flag!  It is ours! The one I carried came from the night of Nov. 5, 2024 which I got at Howard University/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

At the 5 p.m. No Kings protest today in Falls Church, VA/By Patricia Leslie

A person looking much like Virginia District Attorney candidate Jay Jones hung outside a window of a truck plastered with Jones's campaign signs, and signaled "thumbs up" as he rode past the crowd on Washington Street. His driver honked in support of No Kings.

A Falls Church police car and, strangely enough, a DC police car were the only members of law enforcement seen, both on Broad Street about 12:30 p.m.

It was a satisfying, great day for all who joined the common cause to "show our stuff," that we're fed up (!) and unlike Republican members of Congress, not afraid of a tyrant. He won't last forever. And neither will his sycophants.

Stand back, all who don't believe. We got power! Just like the Founding Fathers wanted us to have.

Take a look at the great signs! All homemade!

patricialesli@gmail.com