Garry Kasparov could be sentenced up to five years in jail for using violence against a state official, after allegedly biting a policeman's hand. Kasparov himself dismissed the accusation as "drivel". Meanwhile, the 13th World Champion has given an interview and written an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. We give an update to the Kasparov arrest story, including video footage on YouTube. 

One aspect of the arrest of Garry Kasparov last Friday that struck us was the huge amount of photo, video and phone cameras in the hands of protesters and journalists in the Moscow streets. Therefore it was no surprise to see more and more videos appearing on YouTube. In the following video (we start it from 0:48) you can see the confirmation of what was claimed by Kasparov's supporters: that he was not protesting, but quietly giving an interview.

While he is being dragged to a minibus, Kasparov asks repeatedly, "What are you doing? What are you detaining me for?"

The video is not a single shot, though - it was edited at some point. At 01:56, when Kasparov is about to be thrown into the minibus, a new clip starts. It seems like Kasparov is screeming while he is taken into the bus, but as the following video shows, this part is in fact from a later moment. As it turns out, Kasparov actually tried to escape from the bus. The following video (we start it from 01:39) shows this: 

The YouTube videos strongly suggest that indeed there has been some fighting going on inside the bus. As we noted last Friday, the police are pursuing a charge that Kasparov bit one of their officers. On his Facebook page it could be read that

he has more protocol to go through tonight with his attorney and must return to the police next week.

Kasparov could be sentenced a five year jail term. Here's how The Telegraph put it:

Police sources told Russian media that Mr Kasparov, who claims he was talking quietly to journalists when he was arrested, could be charged with using violence against a state official, a criminal indictment that carries a maximum custodial sentence of five years, after allegedly biting a policeman's hand. Mr Kasparov dismissed the accusation as "drivel".

Kasparov suggested that it could have been a police dog that bit the cop. In response, the police said they were ready to "carry out a test comparing a police dog's bite to Kasparov's teeth" in order to prove the alleged assault.

Shortly after his release, Kasparov gave an interview to Eli Lake of The Daily Beast. He said he was punched in the genitals and beaten by several police officers.

I remember one strong hit between the legs, then they tried to bring me in the bus, and they started carrying me and beating me. When that happens, you resist. They were trying to break my leg.

In the interview Kasparov does not mention that he tried to escape from the minibus.

The 13th World Champion also wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. Here's a paragraph:

My bruises will heal long before the members of Pussy Riot are free to see their young children again. In the past, Mr. Putin's critics and enemies have been jailed on a wide variety of spurious criminal charges, from fraud to terrorism.

But now the masks are off. Unlikely as it may be, the three members of Pussy Riot have become our first true political prisoners.

Taking into account the fact that Kasparov resisted being arrested and even tried to escape, who knows what he'll be charged of when he faces the police again next week.