Report: 5,000 people protest in Siberian city over oil pipeline passing near Lake Baikal

Around 5,000 people rallied in the Siberian city of Irkutsk on Saturday to protest over the route of a planned oil pipeline that will take it near Lake Baikal, the world's largest freshwater lake, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

The participants included environmentalists, scientists and members of the regional parliament and administration, the report said. Flags of several political parties including the regional branch of the pro-Kremlin United Russia were seen at the rally, ITAR-Tass said.

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