Three members of an all-girl Russian punk band were each sentenced to two years in prison Friday for staging a guerrilla performance of a song that criticized Vladimir Putin.

The members of Pussy Riot — one of whom is a permanent resident of Canada — have already been in jail for six months.

Their conviction and sentencing on Friday triggered a wave of global protests at Russian embassies in cities around the world.

Immediately after the decision was issued, Twitter came alive with supporters of the band slamming the ruling and calling on like-minded sympathizers to join demonstrations.

Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, were charged with hooliganism connected with religious hatred after they stormed into a central cathedral in Moscow and briefly performed a song that entreated the Virgin Mary to protect Russia from Putin.

Videos of the performance show masked band members jumping, kicking and punching the air near the altar of the church, while also bowing down in an apparent mockery of orthodox prayer.

It has been described as a “punk prayer,” though the judge in their trial said the obscenity-laced, flash mob-style performance showed a “complete lack of respect” for Orthodox believers and was a premeditated violation of public order.

The incident took place in February, when Putin was on the verge of winning a new term as Russian president.

In recent weeks the case has made headlines around the world and support has galvanized for the women, two of whom have young children and have not been allowed to see their families.

“It is exposing the actual concerns that we have been expressing for quite some time about the restriction on freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly,” said David Diaz-Jogeix, of the human rights advocacy group Amnesty International.

The group has been calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the band members, saying their performance did not constitute a criminal act.

A number of international pop stars have expressed their support for the group, including Paul McCartney, Madonna and Bjork.

But Diaz-Jogeix said within Russia people are also standing up for the group and going public with their support.

“No matter what the decision is, what I think is important is that the Russian society is mobilizing together with help from international countries such as Canada,” he told CTV’s Canada AM before the decision was released.

Prosecutors had asked for three-year sentences for the women, down from the possible seven-year maximum. Putin himself had said he hoped the sentencing would not be “too severe.”

Lynn Flatley, who has organized a Toronto demonstration in support of the women, said she was inspired to take action after learning about their case.

“I felt it was so wrong on so many levels I felt I had to do something. I had never done anything like this but it was a tipping point for me,” she told Canada AM.