Freedom Day: Opposition rally in Minsk (Online report)

A rally on occasion of Freedom Day, a national holiday, is held in the capital of Belarus.

The rally, which is permitted by the Minsk city executive committee, starts near the presidium of the National Academy of Science at 6:00 p.m.

A correspondent of charter97.org is giving a live coverage of the event.

7.25 p.m.

Stading in front of the participants Artur Finkevich announced the end of the action. People start to break up, but many are still staying on the spot.

7.20 p.m.

Participants of the rally broke through the first chain of riot policemen. They are at the crossing of Independence Avenue and Brouka Street. About 7 paddy wagons are in Brouka Street. Riot policemen in riot gear lined up in front of the partisipants of the march.

7.15 p.m.

Policemen are trying to stop the movement of demonstrators. Participants of the action are walking by the 1st city hospital. Riot policemen formed a chain in front of them.

7:10 p.m.

Participants of the rally headed for Yakub Kolas square. They chant "Long live Belarus!", "Independence!" Law-enforcers warned the organisers about responsibility for violation of public order.

7:00 p.m.

Some participants of the action formed a human chain along the street. They are holding banners and shouting “Long live Belarus!” Drivers are honking to express their solidarity.

6.50 p.m.

Bards and poets are performing on the square. People are greeting the bards with the words "Long live Belarus!" Press-officers of the police i blue vests are present at the action.

6:35 p.m.

About 1000 people have gathered on the square. Opposition leaders address the demonstrators calling to solidarity. They express a hope that the day will be officially recognized holiday. Vyachaskau Siuchyk, the head of the organizing committee on creating the solidarity movement Together, said that a trial over Uladzimir Asipenka and Mikalai Autukhovich had started on February 10 and demanded to release the political prisoners. According to him, the proceeding resembles the trials of the 1930s.

6:25 p.m.

The action started with BPF leader Alyaksei Yanukevich’s speech. He called on the mob to hold a moment of silence in memory of Belarusian writer, historian and journalist Kastus Tarasau.

6:20 p.m.

Leader of the civil campaign European Belarus Andrei Sannikov, BPF party leaders Alyaksei Yanukovich and Viktar Ivashkevich, head of the Social Democratic Party (Hramada) Mikalai Statkevich, BCD head Paval Sevyarynets, famous Belarusian journalist Iruna Khalip, artist Ales Marachkin and other people are present at the action.

6:10 p.m.

About 500 people have come to the Academy of Science. Demonstrators are shouting “Long live Belarus!” Dozens of flags of European Belarus civil campaign have been raised. Militiaman and a lot of people in mufti are watching the event.

5:55 About 300 people have already gathered in front of the Academy of Science. As we have learnt, sound-amplifying equipment has been seized from the rally organizers on the way to the site. More and more people are coming. National white-red-white and EU flags are waving.

It is reported that Young Belarus activists Tsimafei Dranchuk and Anton Ruzau have been detained ahead of the rally. They were detained for taking photo of activists hanging out national white-red-white flags in Minsk. The activists from other Belarusian cities, who were going to take part in celebration of Freedom Day in Minsk, have been detained preventively. Five activists of the Right Alliance were detained in Lida. Militiamen hindered four BCD representatives from Babruisk to go to Minsk.