Hundreds of people gathered outside the Russian Consulate in New York City, leaving flowers and lighting candles to pay tribute to Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, March 1, 2024, the day of his funeral in Russia. Top U.S. diplomats in Russia paid their respects Friday to Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, saying he "remains a shining example of what Russia could and should be." The American ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, went to the Moscow church where funeral services were held and laid red roses at a shrine outside. Russian authorities allowed only relatives and close friends inside the church. She was joined by the ambassadors from Germany and France, among many other diplomats. At least 45 people were detained Friday for paying tribute to Navalny in several towns and cities, according to the monitoring group OVD-Info. Experts said Russian authorities have extensive surveillance video and there may be more arrests in the days and weeks ahead. https://www.voanews.com/a/thousands-defy-putin-to-pay-respects-to-navalny-/7510431.html » Subscribe to VOA News: https://bit.ly/3KIPysi » Watch more VOA News video: https://www.youtube.com/c/VOANews Voice of America (VOA) is the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of 236.8 million people. VOA produces content for digital, television, and radio platforms. It is easily accessed via your mobile phone and on social media. It is also distributed by satellite, cable, FM and MW, and is carried on a network of approximately 3,000 affiliate stations. Since its creation in 1942, Voice of America has been committed to providing comprehensive coverage of the news and telling audiences the truth. Through World War II, the Cold War, the fight against global terrorism, and the struggle for freedom around the globe today, VOA exemplifies the principles of a free press. Connect with VOA News: » VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://www.voanews.com » LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/voanews » FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/voanews » FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/VOANews » FOLLOW US ON THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@voanews #news #voanews