Riot militia dispersed rallies on October square and near St Joseph Church (Photo, video)

Riot militiamen hindered peaceful rallies on the Day of Solidarity on October square and near St Joseph Church.

At 6.00 p.m. January 16, “Young Front” activists with portraits of disappeared people came out to October square. Some minutes after a squad of riot militiamen came up to participants of the rally and began to force people out of the square. Roughly shoving people, they snatched away posters and guarded the youth activists along Internatsyanalnaya and Yanka Kupala Streets. Militia stopped persecuting only at corner of Bahdanovich Street.

At 8.00 p.m., more than 30 activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” came to the church. The democrats lit candles and were going to pray for the opposition leaders and the journalist disappeared in Belarus as well as for all people, repressed by Lukashenka’s regime. Riot militiamen came to the church, encircled the activists and guarded them down Nyamiha Street. People were shoving people and hitting them at their backs.

They didn’t explain why people were forbidden to lit candles near the church, they said it was an order. While being guarded, activists of the “European Belarus” didn’t blow out candles.

Photo by Yulia Darashlevich