Several people have reportedly been detained in Moscow at a sanctioned demonstration in support of Internet freedom.

One demonstrator was detained on August 26 while wearing a T-shirt reading, "Putin is worse than Hitler," referring to President Vladimir Putin.

Several other demonstrators were detained while wearing symbols supporting equal rights for the LGBT community.

According to Moscow officials, about 1,000 people attended the rally, TASS reported.

Similar demonstrations were held in several other Russian cities, including St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Izhevsk, and others.

Demonstrators were calling for changes to legislation restricting the Internet that were included in the so-called Yarovaya package of laws -- named after conservative State Duma member Irina Yarovaya.

They also called for the release of people jailed for purportedly disseminating "extremist" material via the Internet and for the resignations of the leadership of Roskomnadzor, the state agency that monitors and regulates the Internet.