Roughly 260 people were detained during an unauthorized protest held on Wednesday by the Revolution Through Social Networks movement in Minsk.
Roughly 120 people were detained during an unauthorized protest held on Wednesday by the Revolution Through Social Networks movement in Minsk. Among those detained were foreign nationals, including a radio journalist from Latvia and an Estonian.
The protesters did not shout anything, but merely applauded, thus expressing their stand against the economic policies pursued by the Belarusian authorities.
The protesters were not allowed on October Square. A student dance party was in progress there, the area was fenced off and the music drowned out the sounds of the opposition’s applause.
The police managed to force the protesters to streets adjacent to October Square, after which they were broken up into several groups.
Several hundred protesters took to the streets in Minsk, according to various estimates. During the previous rally, which took place a week ago, several thousand people attended the protest. On that occasion, the police detained 200 people.
The protest took place under law-enforcement supervision. Police vans and unmarked cars arrived on the scene.
Men in civilian clothes made most of the detentions, according to eyewitnesses.
Protesters said that many law enforcement officials used force – they beat up protesters and destroyed equipment.
A plain-clothes police officer detains a protester at the peaceful rally organized by the Revolution Through Social Networks movement in Minsk.
Plain-clothes police officers detain a protester at the peaceful protest organized by the Revolution Through Social Networks movement in Minsk.
