Thousands of people marched through Moscow Sunday to protest a law banning Americans from adopting Russian children.

Protesters carried posters with photographs of lawmakers who voted in favor of the law late last month. The word 'shame' was written across their portraits in red.

The protest march, which was permitted by Russian authorities, was organized by opposition leaders who led demonstrations against the re-election of Russian President Vladimir Putin a year ago.

The law banning Americans from adopting Russian children was widely viewed as a retaliatory measure against U.S. passage of a visa ban targeting Russians accused of being linked to human rights violations.

Opponents of the Russian adoption law say its main victims are not Americans but Russian orphans who will now lose the chance to find new families.