Alexei Navalny’s associates said on Tuesday that their plan to a hold a public memorial to Russia’s most well-known opposition figure was being thwarted by the authorities. Funeral parlours and public event halls that could presumably help stage the ceremony this week have all said they are booked or, in some cases, declined as soon as Navalny’s name was mentioned, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said. “Since yesterday we have been looking for a place where we can organize a farewell event for Alexei. We have called most of the private and public funeral agencies, commercial venues and funeral ha…