136_42 interference 42. <17> On 14 May 2003 the investigating authorities refused to institute criminal proceedings. The decision read as follows: “... [The investigating authority] established that on 24 November 2003 the non- governmental organisation the Trade Union Centre of the Tyumen Region, acting with official authorisation of the town council dated 20 November 2003, staged a public picket near the [college]. This event took place from noon to 1 p.m. The demonstrators were demanding that college the authorities put an end to violations of the rights of its employees and students. After the picket [the applicant and five other persons of the movement] entered the college building and went to the office of the head of the college to hand over their petition. [The head of the college] refused to meet them and called the police. The police officers, who arrived at the place of the incident, escorted the demonstrators to the [District Department] to collect their explanations in writing. ... [In the context of the present investigation the applicant] has refused to give any explanations to the police, noting that she had already given her statements in respect to these events to the Prosecutor’s Office. [The applicant’s and other protestors’ actions] did not amount to a criminal offence.”