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Minsk, Belarus:
Tens of 1000’s of opposition supporters marched within the Belarusian capital of Minsk Sunday, defying a heavy safety pressure presence that included water cannons and armoured autos.
The protest got here a day after law enforcement officials detained tons of of demonstrators at a ladies’s march within the capital.
The opposition motion has stored up a wave of large-scale demonstrations each Sunday since President Alexander Lukashenko gained a disputed victory in August 9 polls.
People holding red-and-white protest flags gathered on the “March of Justice” walked by way of central streets holding placards with slogans corresponding to “Cowards beat up women” and “Get out!”.
Natalya Chizhevich, a 60-year-old retired trainer mentioned she got here each week.
“Europe won’t help us get rid of Lukashenko, the people themselves have to remove him,” she mentioned.
Several impartial media shops estimated numbers at tens of 1000’s, whereas Nasha Niva opposition newspaper put the determine a lot greater at 150,000. Previous marches have seen estimated turnouts of at the very least 100,000.
“I hope this won’t die down. We come out every time, it’s such a breath of fresh air,” mentioned one other protester, 33-year-old Maxim Karpov.
“This all gives us strength to fight on.”
Police and inside troops moved army vehicles, water cannon and armoured personnel carriers into the town centre and arrange barbed wire.
In the night, giant numbers of helmeted riot police with shields confronted off in opposition to massed flag-waving protesters after detaining small numbers firstly.
The Viasna rights group mentioned at the very least 30 had been detained in Minsk and 33 in different cities.
In the southwestern metropolis of Brest, police mentioned they used tear fuel in opposition to protesters throughout tense avenue clashes and one officer fired a stun grenade into the air.
The authorities ordered a discount in cellular web protection in the course of the protests, whereas central Minsk metro stations have been closed.
Opposition chief Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who claimed victory over Lukashenko within the polls and has taken shelter in Lithuania, praised demonstrators for popping out “to bravely stand up for what they want.”
The mass protest got here after riot police cracked down Saturday on peaceable ladies demonstrators who wore shiny equipment for his or her so-called “Sparkly March.”
They dragged protesters into vans, lifting some ladies off their ft to hold them.
Belarusian inside ministry spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova mentioned Sunday that police had detained 415 folks in Minsk and 15 in different cities for breaking guidelines on mass demonstrations. She mentioned 385 had been launched.
– ‘Worth combating for’ –
The scale of Saturday’s detentions prompted the opposition’s Coordination Council to warn of a “new phase in the escalation of violence against peaceful protesters.”
Among these detained was one of the vital distinguished faces of the protest motion, 73-year-old activist Nina Baginskaya, though she was later launched.
The aggressive police techniques prompted an opposition Telegram channel, Nexta, which has greater than two million subscribers, to publish what it mentioned was a listing of the names and ranks of greater than 1,000 police.
Protesters have tried to drag off the masks and balaclavas of police who seem at demonstrations in plain garments or in uniforms with out insignia or title badges.
Opposition chief Tikhanovskaya on Saturday mentioned Belarusians have been able to strip police obeying “criminal orders” of anonymity.
Lukashenko has dismissed opposition requires his resignation and sought assist from Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who has promised legislation enforcement backup if wanted and a $1.5 billion mortgage.
Tikhanovskaya is to satisfy European Union overseas ministers Monday in Brussels because the EU prepares sanctions in opposition to these it blames for rigging the election and the regime’s violent crackdown on protesters.
Authorities have jailed a lot of Tikhanovskaya’s allies who fashioned the management of the Coordination Council, or pushed them in another country.
Campaign associate Maria Kolesnikova has been imprisoned and charged with undermining nationwide safety.
She launched a message to protesters Sunday saying: “Freedom is worth fighting for. Don’t be afraid to be free!”.
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