MOSCOW, October 30 - RAPSI. The Moscow Basmanny District Court has extended the arrest of Alexei Polikhovich until March 6. Polikhovich is involved in the case on the May 6 riots in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square, the court's press secretary Yekaterina Korotova told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) on Tuesday.

The decision was made at the investigators' request.

The charges against Polikhovich carry a maximum punishment of eight years in prison.

Clashes with the police flared up on May 6 during an officially sanctioned opposition march across Moscow. Dozens of protesters and police officers were injured. The police detained over 400 rally participants.

After May 6, the opposition continued its protests in the form of "people's promenades," wherein crowds of opposition activists strolled peacefully through the city in a show of opposition. In June, investigators searched the homes of the rally organizers and participants, including those of Alexei Navalny, Sergei Udaltsov, Ilya Yashin, and Boris Nemtsov.

Previously, the court left Polikhovich in custody on the basis of evidence submitted by investigators which proved the defendant's involvement in the crimes he was charged with. This evidence includes witness testimonies, as well as videos showing his unlawful conduct toward police officers.

A police officer claimed that Polikhovich tried to break another protester loose from an officer's grip. Although Polikhovich wore a medical mask, the officer recognized him by his figure.

Judge Olga Solopova sided with the investigator, who claimed there was a risk the defendant may try to flee the country.

The defendant has denied the charges, saying that he has no intention to escape.