Protests were held in cities around the world on Saturday to rally support for the 28 Greenpeace activists and two journalists currently being held by the Russian government on charges of piracy.

Both activists and governments have been shocked by Russia's decision to level serious piracy charges against Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise crew after a protest against Arctic oil drilling.

On Saturday Moscow authorities hit out at both Greenpeace and the Dutch government under whose flag the environmental lobby group's ship sailed. The Dutch initiated legal action Friday attempting to free the crew.

The US State Department also said it was "monitoring the case very closely."

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