Topless feminist FEMEN came out to support Russian punk band Pussy Riot as part of a series of demonstrations around the world aimed at helping the detained trio.
Holding signs saying 'f**k Putin' and 'Free Pussy Riot', the protesters were detained outside Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil by civil police officers.
Pussy Riot are currently awaiting the result of a hooliganism trial, after performing their single Punk Prayer - which calls for the Virgin Mary to 'throw Putin out' - in a cathedral.
If found guilty the three members - Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, and Maria Alekhina, 24 – could face up to seven years in prison.
Femen were founded in 2008 in the Ukraine, and their unique form of protest has since spread. The group held demonstrations in London protesting the Olympics' "support" for radical Islamist regimes.
In a separate protest in support of Pussy Riot, the mayor of Reykjavik, Iceland, Jon Gnarr donned a pink dress and lip synced to one of the band's songs.
Sir Paul McCartney has written to Pussy Riot, telling them to "stay strong" and saying he would do everything in his power to help.
In a letter to Nadya, Katya and Masha the Beatles musician wrote:
"I hope you can stay strong and believe that I and many others like me who believe in free speech will do everything in our power to support you and the idea of artistic freedom. Wishing you the very best of luck, Paul McCartney."
The band has also received support from Bjork, who said this week: "As a musician and a mother I would like to express I fiercely don't agree with them being put to jail because of their peaceful protest performance.”
Labour MP Kerry McCarthy, who attended the Pussy Riot trial, wrote in a blog for The Huffington Post UK: "The defence lawyers say that it is not the judge who will decide, it is Putin himself. The world is watching while he makes up his mind."
Pussy Riot FEMEN Protest
(01 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(02 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(03 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(04 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(05 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(06 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(07 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(08 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(09 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(10 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
(11 of11)
Members of feminist group FEMEN carry out a protest in support of Russian band Pussy Riot, outside the Russian consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. A series of global demonstrations are being held around the world to free Pussy Riot. A Russian court is to decide on Wednesday whether the band members will be jailed for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin. (Photo credit: PA/CRIS FAGA/AE/AE)
Pussy Riot
(01 of19)
Feminist punk group Pussy Riot members, from left, Yekaterina Samutsevich, Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova sit in a glass cage at a court room in Moscow, Russia on Friday, Aug 17, 2012. The women, two of whom have young children, are charged with hooliganism connected to religious hatred but the case is widely seen as a warning that authorities will only tolerate opposition under tightly controlled conditions. T-shirt on right worn by Tolokonnikova is Spanish and translates to "They shall not pass", a slogan often used to express determination to defend a position against an enemy. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel) (credit:AP)
(02 of19)
Yekaterina Samutsevich, right, a member of feminist punk group Pussy Riot is excorted to a court room in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. Security is tight around a Moscow courthouse where three members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot are to hear the verdict Friday in a trial that could send them to prison for seven years. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze) (credit:AP)
(03 of19)
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, right, a member of feminist punk group Pussy Riot is escorted to a court room in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. Security is tight around the Moscow courthouse where three members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot are to hear the verdict Friday in a trial that could send them to prison for seven years. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze) (credit:AP)
(04 of19)
Feminist punk group Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova sits at a glass cage at a court in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. Security is tight around the Moscow courthouse where three members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot are to hear the verdict Friday in a trial that could send them to prison for seven years. T-shirt on right worn by Tolokonnikova is Spanish and translates to "They shall not pass", a slogan often used to express determination to defend a position against an enemy. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze) (credit:AP)
(05 of19)
Feminist punk group Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich sits inside a glass cage at a court in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. Security is tight around a Moscow courthouse where three members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot are to hear the verdict Friday in a trial that could send them to prison for seven years. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze) (credit:AP)
(06 of19)
Feminist punk group Pussy Riot member Maria Alekhina sits inside a glass cage at a court in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. Security is tight around a Moscow courthouse where three members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot are to hear the verdict Friday in a trial that could send them to prison for seven years. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze) (credit:AP)
(07 of19)
Feminist punk group Pussy Riot members, from left, Yekaterina Samutsevich, Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova sit in a glass cage at a court room in Moscow, Russia on Friday, Aug 17, 2012. The women, two of whom have young children, are charged with hooliganism connected to religious hatred, but the case is widely seen as a warning that authorities will only tolerate opposition under tightly controlled conditions.(AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev) (credit:AP)
(08 of19)
Feminist punk group Pussy Riot members, from left, Yekaterina Samutsevich, Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova sit in a glass cage at a court room in Moscow, Russia on Friday, Aug 17, 2012. The women, two of whom have young children, are charged with hooliganism connected to religious hatred. But the case is widely seen as a warning that authorities will tolerate opposition only under tightly controlled conditions.T-shirt on right worn by Tolokonnikova is Spanish and translates to "They shall not pass", a slogan often used to express determination to defend a position against an enemy.(AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev) (credit:AP)
(09 of19)
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, right, Yekaterina Samutsevich, left, and Maria Alekhina, center, members of feminist punk group Pussy Riot seen behind a glass wall at a court in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. The three members who were jailed in March following a guerrilla performance denouncing President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's main cathedral, and they now face a maximum seven years in jail. T-shirt on right worn by Tolokonnikova is Spanish and translates to "They shall not pass", a slogan often used to express determination to defend a position against an enemy. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel) (credit:AP)
(10 of19)
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, right, Yekaterina Samutsevich, left, and Maria Alekhina, center, members of feminist punk group Pussy Riot seen behind a glass wall at a court in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. (credit:AP)
(11 of19)
Feminist punk group Pussy Riot members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, right, Maria Alekhina, center, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, sit in a glass cage at a court room in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. The three women in the band have been in jail for more than five months because of a prank they carried out in Moscow's main cathedral in a demonstration against Russia's Vladimir Putin, and they now face a maximum seven years in jail. T-shirt on right worn by Tolokonnikova is Spanish and translates to "They shall not pass", a slogan often used to express determination to defend a position against an enemy. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze) (credit:AP)
(12 of19)
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, a member of female Russian punk band Pussy Riot, stands inside defendands cage in a Moscow court, on April 19, 2012, during the hearings on the Pussy Riot case. Three members of the all-woman punk band 'Pussy Riot' were detained two months ago, after they climbed on the altar of Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral -- the country's central place of worship -- and sang a song they called a 'Punk Prayer'. The women have been charged with hooliganism committed by an organised group -- an unusually harsh charge for protesters. (Photo credit: ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
(13 of19)
Members of the all-girl punk band 'Pussy Riot' Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (L), Maria Alyokhina (R) and Yekaterina Samutsevich (C), sit behind bars during a court hearing in Moscow on July 30, 2012. In February, five women walked silently into Moscow's Church of Christ the Saviour before clambering over railings, pulling on balaclavas and yelling out a protest song against Vladimir Putin. The 'punk prayer' by the all-woman group Pussy Riot lasted around a minute. Three women arrested in March over the incident face up to seven years in a prison colony after being charged with hooliganism and have already spent four months awaiting trial . (Photo credit: ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
(14 of19)
Members of the all-girl punk band 'Pussy Riot' Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (L), Maria Alyokhina (R) and Yekaterina Samutsevich (C), sit behind bars during a court hearing in Moscow on July 30, 2012. In February, five women walked silently into Moscow's Church of Christ the Saviour before clambering over railings, pulling on balaclavas and yelling out a protest song against Vladimir Putin. The 'punk prayer' by the all-woman group Pussy Riot lasted around a minute. Three women arrested in March over the incident face up to seven years in a prison colony after being charged with hooliganism and have already spent four months awaiting trial . (Photo credit: ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
(15 of19)
Members of the all-girl punk band 'Pussy Riot' Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (L), Maria Alyokhina (R) and Yekaterina Samutsevich (C), sit behind bars during a court hearing in Moscow on July 23, 2012. Three members of the all-woman punk band 'Pussy Riot' Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were detained, after they climbed on the altar of Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral on February 21, 2012 - the country's central place of worship - and sang a song they called a 'Punk Prayer'. The women have been charged with hooliganism committed by an organised group - an unusually harsh charge for protesters. (Photo credit: ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
(16 of19)
A Police officer escorts a member of female punk band 'Pussy Riot' Nadezhda Tolokonnikova during a court hearing in Moscow on July 20, 2012. Three members of the all-woman punk band 'Pussy Riot' Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were detained, after they climbed on the altar of Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral on February 21, 2012 - the country's central place of worship - and sang a song they called a 'Punk Prayer'. The women have been charged with hooliganism committed by an organised group - an unusually harsh charge for protesters. (Photo credit: ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
(17 of19)
One of the few supporters of female Russian punk band Pussy Riot rally outside a Moscow court, on July 9, 2012, to support the musicians during the hearings on the Pussy Riot case. Three members of the all-woman punk band 'Pussy Riot' were detained, after wearing masks they climbed on the altar of Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral - the country's central place of worship - and sang a song they called a 'Punk Prayer'. The women have been charged with hooliganism committed by an organised group - an unusually harsh charge for protesters. (Photo credit: ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
(18 of19)
Supporters of female Russian punk band Pussy Riot, who were detained outside a Moscow court during the hearings on the Pussy Riot case, on July 4, 2012, wave from window of a police bus. Three members of the all-woman punk band 'Pussy Riot' were detained, after they climbed on the altar of Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral - the country's central place of worship - and sang a song they called a 'Punk Prayer'. The women have been charged with hooliganism committed by an organised group - an unusually harsh charge for protesters. (Photo credit: ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
(19 of19)
A man writes on a wall dedicated to supporting the detained members of the Russian all-girl punk rock band Pussy Riot on June 18, 2012, in Prague. The members of the radical group climbed on the altar of Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral -- the country's central place of worship -- on February 21 and sang a song they called a 'Punk Prayer' before being seized by guards. The women have been charged with hooliganism committed by an organised group -- an unusually harsh charge for protesters - and face a potential 7 years in prison. (Photo credit: MICHAL CIZEK/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)