Russia: Violence flares as police and pro-democracy protestors clash

MOSCOW -- Police and protesters clashed Tuesday on a central Moscow square as people tried to hold a second day of demonstrations against alleged vote fraud in Russia's parliamentary elections. Protesters in the city of St. Petersburg also broke through police lines.

Hundreds of people have been arrested in the two cities.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party saw a significant drop in support in Sunday's election, but it will still have a majority in parliament. Opponents say even that watered-down victory was due to massive vote fraud.

Russia's beleaguered opposition has been energized by the vote, staging its biggest protests in Moscow for years.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated U.S. suggestions that Sunday's election was neither free nor fair. Russia's Foreign Ministry later branded U.S. criticism "unacceptable." Meanwhile, Republican Senator John McCain offered Putin a warning on Twitter: "Dear Vlad, The Arab Spring is coming to a neighborhood near you."

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