Russian soldiers dressed in Red Army's World War Two uniforms march during a military parade in Red Square in Moscow November 7, 2005. Russia on Monday marks the 64th anniversary of the 1941 historical military parade when soldiers went directly to the front from the parade during the World War Two. (Xinhua/Reuters photo)

    MOSCOW, Nov. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Over 10,000 members and supporters of the Russian Communist Party Monday held rally in downtown Moscow to commemorate the 88th anniversary of the 1917 Revolution.

    Earlier in the day, the Communists brandishing red flags of the party and slogans scroll marched across the central streets in the capital of Russia.

    The slogans that were carried by the communist-demonstrators read "A National Status to the Great October Holiday!", "Lenin! October! Socialism!" "November 7 was, is and will be the Holiday of People!", "State Television for the People and not for Bureaucracy!".

    According to the Russian media, the rallies and demonstrations organized by the Russian communists and the left parties were also held on Monday in other regions and cities, such as St. Petersburg,Krasnojarsk, Ulyanovsk, Kurgan, Kirov and Tula.

    Today -- a former holiday marking "the October Revolution" -- has become an official working day for the first time in decades, according to a presidential decree.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on July 21 canceling the Nov. 7 holiday and replacing it with the Day of People's Unity, a Nov. 4 celebration of the end of Polish intervention in 1612.

    Before 1991, Nov. 7 was a major holiday in Soviet Union. From 1991 to 1996 the Russian authorities no longer celebrated the day,but which still remain a holiday. In 1996, Nov. 7 was renamed the Day of Reconciliation and Accord in accordance with a presidentia ldecree.

    On Monday morning, over 3,000 people, including 500 veterans, 500 soldiers and cadets, also marched on Red Square to mark the anniversary of a parade of thousands of 8,000 Soviet troops heading off to the front in 1941, when the German invaders were just a few dozen kilometers from Moscow.

    About 3,400 local policemen were engaged in safeguarding security and social order. No riot or unrest have been reported on the day. Enditem

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