Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Belarus to protest against President Alexander Lukashenko, two weeks after the controversial presidential election. The army is threatening to intervene.
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On Sunday afternoon, citizens of all kinds of convictions gathered on Independence Square in Minsk. They shouted “Uchodi!” which means as much as “Hoop up!”.
Police warned citizens through loudspeakers not to participate in an unauthorized event. The protest was peaceful. Mass events are illegal. Whoever takes part will be held accountable ”, the Ministry of the Interior said. Ivan Kubrakov, the commander of the city militia, as the police in Belarus are called, warned in a video message about “provocations”. He asked everyone to stay away from manifestations.
President Lukashenko had previously asked for “crackdowns” on protests. And the Ministry of Defense said that “when disturbances of the peace occur, it should be feared that not the militia, but the military will intervene.”
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