Thousands protest against Russian government

Tens of thousands of people have rallied in central Moscow in the biggest popular challenge yet to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's hold on power. Protesters were demonstrating on Saturday against alleged vote rigging in a December 4 parliamentary poll. They were chanting slogans against Putin's United Russia party, with many shouting "Russia without Putin". Protests also took place in St Petersburg - Russia's second city - where thousands of people gathered, and in other cities. Al Jazeera's Neave Barker reports from Moscow, the Russian capital.