A Russian demonstrator faces two years in prison for breaking a pro-Kremlin British blogger's camera at last Sunday's protest in Moscow

Moscow police have opened a property damage investigation following a complaint by the British blogger Graham Phillips, whose camera was slapped to the ground during a protest in Moscow on January 28. Phillips formerly worked at the Russian state media organization Russia Today, where he gained notoriety for criticizing the Ukrainian government in reports from the country's wartorn east.

In footage available online, Phillips confronted a group of protesters at Moscow’s Pushkin Square on Sunday, shouting in heavily accented Russian, “What a bunch of traitors and idiots!” The demonstrators yelled back, “You’re a disgrace!” to which he responded, “I'm the honestest journalist!” As Phillips spun around to face people in the crowd and trade insults, he waved two cameras in people's faces. Eventually, a man knocked one of his cameras to the ground. Phillips says the $500 device was destroyed.

Police are now searching for the demonstrator who broke the camera. He faces a 40,000-ruble ($700) fine and up to two years in prison.

Police detained an estimated 370 people in nationwide protests on January 28, organized by Alexey Navalny to promote a “voters’ boycott” for Russia’s March 18 presidential election. The demonstration in Moscow went ahead without a city permit. About 120 of those detained were ultimately arrested or fined for turning out on Sunday.