Remaining Pussy Riot members promise more protests

While three members of the notorious Russian punk rock band Pussy Riot sit in Russian prison cells on charges of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred," remaining members have promised more guerrilla performances and protests. According to Reuters, the all-woman group, which has 10 to 20 members at any given time and no fixed lineup, say that they are aware of the danger, but have vowed to carry on, anyway.

One woman, who goes by the name "Mother," said, "For me, to put a balaklava on, it is, there is a fitting English word for this, 'honor.' 'Pride' has an ambiguous meaning in Russia, but it's an honor."

The band members currently in prison, Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, were arrested earlier this year for a protest which took place February 21, when the women stormed the altar at Russia's largest cathedral and staged a performance of a "punk prayer" to the Virgin Mary, asking her to rid Russia of Vladimir Putin. Prosecutors are seeking sentences of three years for the women.

A band member named "Terminator" told Reuters, "Nobody can mute us, nobody can forbid us to do what we want... We want Russia to be a better place… We won't stop, we would do it again."

Mother urged women everywhere to "don balaklavas and stage riots of their own" in solidarity with the jailed band members. Rock stars like Madonna, Björk and Radiohead's Thom Yorke have spoken out on behalf of the band, urging the Russian government to drop the charges against the women and release them.

A verdict in the case is expected on Friday, August 17.

Watch the clip, embedded via Reuters, below:

Watch Björk dedicate the song "Declare Independence" to the members of Pussy Riot at a concert in Finland on Saturday, video embedded via YouTube, below: