Hundreds of protestors gathered Wednesday in the Russian capital of Moscow to oppose a controversial power grab recently enacted by President Vladimir Putin. The Russian parliament earlier in the month voted to amend the country’s constitution to allow Putin to seek reelection twice more, paving the way for him to remain in power for up to 16 more years.

Despite the official line from the Kremlin calling the vote “a triumph,” citizens and activists have called the amendment illegitimate and said that Putin, who has reigned as the leader of Russia for over 20 years, must step away from his position. Given the oft-question legitimacy of Russia’s election, many have called the move a thinly veiled measure to continue assuring Putin holds office for life.

According to a witness from the protests speaking to Reuters, around 500 protestors gathered in central Moscow, many wearing face masks that read “No.” At one point, they could be heard chanting, “Putin is a thief.”

The protests drew Russians from different walks of life.

“I came here to sign the petition against the constitutional reforms because I am a nationalist,” said a 40-year-old man.

“Gay people are killed here, women are beaten up here, and no one is ever held accountable,” a 14-year-old girl said. She also blamed Putin for the country's poverty problem.

Protests against the vote have been widespread across Russia in the last week. While there have been the expected outbursts in major cities to the west, there have also been surprising demonstrations in the country’s quieter, more rural eastern regions. Some of these protests, in cities like Khabarovsk, have rivaled the size of those found in Moscow.

Putin has already been in power for 20 years
Putin has already been in power for 20 years SPUTNIK / Alexei Druzhinin
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