4 Russian protesters jailed on charges of assaulting police

Russia’s top state investigative agency says it has arrested four people suspected of assaulting police officers during a July opposition protest in Moscow.

The Investigative Committee said Monday the four were accused of pushing and grabbing officers at the July 27 rally. It says another two people are being sought.

There was a series of summer protests in Moscow after Russian authorities refused to allow a dozen independent and opposition candidates to run for the city legislature in a Sept. 8 election. The protests represented the largest show of discontent against President Vladimir Putin’s rule in seven years.

Police roughly dispersed some rallies that authorities had not authorized to take place. Several participants have received prison terms of up to four years for assault convictions and other protest-related charges.