Nadya Tolokonnikova, one of the most prominent members of Russian punk-protest group Pussy Riot, has referred to Donald Trump as a “dangerous clown” after the US Presidential hopeful boasted about his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Last November, Trump said that he would “get along very well” with Putin if he were elected because they once appeared on the same episode of 60 Minutes. However, Rolling Stone reports that factcheckers later revealed that the pair never actually met, as Trump’s segment was filmed in the US and Putin’s in Russia.
“I got to know him very well because we were both on 60 Minutes, we were stablemates,” Trump said. “We did well that night.” Putin responded by describing Trump as “a very bright and talented man”.
Responding to the news, Tolokonnikova told Rolling Stone: “I think that [Trump] probably could be not-bad comedian, but he couldn’t be politician”.
She continued: “I see similarities between Trump and Putin because they both like to provoke the audience… Artists and punks and musicians should provoke the audience, and politicians should serve the public interest. It’s not their role to express their individuality, to do crazy gestures like Trump and Putin are doing.”
“I think it will be a disaster if Trump will win the election. I will try to do what I can to prevent it,” Tolokonnikova said. She added of the prospect of Trump and Putin both being in power: “I don’t want to see two dangerous clowns as presidents of big countries.”
GettyPussy Riot rose to fame in February 2012 when they staged a “punk protest” performance against Russian President Putin in a Moscow church.
Three members of the group, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, were jailed over the incident later that year.
Samutsevich was released after two months, while Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina remained in jail for over a year.