Russian media regulator asks Google to delete protest videos

Russia's media regulator has asked internet giantGoogle to delete videos of anti-government protests and arrests inMoscow from its platform YouTube.In a letter, the company was asked to take measures to preventunauthorized protests from being advertised, the media regulationauthority Roskomnadzor said on Sunday.Many videos have been published on YouTube showing the sometimesbrutal police crackdown.  Tens of thousands of Russians held their fourth demonstration in asmany weeks in central Moscow on Saturday, protesting against policeviolence and in favour of free and fair elections.The protests erupted after several opposition candidates werecontroversially rejected from a ballot for upcoming city councilelections.  In the last three weekends alone, more than 2,000 people weredetained in the Russian capital.There are also videos on YouTube of Saturday's demonstration, whichorganizers say attracted more than 50,000 people. In contrast to theprotests on previous weekends, the authorities had approved thisrally. Roskomnadzor told Google that if it did not react, Russia wouldregard that as hostile interference in its internal affairs anddemocratic elections. Moscow would then reserve the right to react"appropriately," it said.