Rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk: on-line report (updating, Photo)

Belarusian entrepreneurs continue their protest action in the Belarusian capital. A large column of participants of the action has gone from October Square to the House of Government to require a meeting with the prime minister. The militia has begun to disperse the protesters and push them to the neighbouring streets. On-line report from the protest action is to begin on our site at 12.00pm (Minsk time).

3.10pm

People have been pushed to the conservatory out from October Square. People have begun to disperse. We provide you with a photo-report and video of the action soon.

2.55pm

People on October Square are blocked by riot militia from one side and by road militia from the other side.

2.45pm

People who haven’t got to the cordon, have returned to the square. Riot militiamen are moving to the square, too. A mopping-up operation is likely to be carried on again.

2.40pm

Paddy wagons have driven up to the protesters near the Hotel Minsk. The riot militia officers have caught some participants of the action. According to preliminary data, about 20 people were detained.

2.30pm

Riot militia have pushed the entrepreneurs from the square, divided the crowd into two parts. A part of protestors near the Hotel Minsk is surrounded by riot militia.

2.20 pm

The riot policemen in a column consisting of several files are beating on shields by truncheons. They started to push protesters away from the square.

2.10pm

Accesses to the House of Government have been cordoned off by riot policemen. Internal Affairs Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau exercises direction over the riot policemen. There are at least 100 riot policemen at the spot near the House of Government; 5 paddy wagons and about 300 riot policemen with truncheons and shields are standing near the Teachers’ Training University. People are chanting “Disgrace!”

2.00pm

The protesters have been pushed to the pavement near the Central Book Store. Numerous road militia officers are moving along the avenue, not allowing the participants to go to the road.

1.55pm

Two special militia cars with riot militia have outdriven a column of demonstrants. Driving the cars towards the participants of the action, the militia are pushing them from the traffic way.

1.50pm

People have gone to the traffic way near McDonald’s, they have blocked two traffic lanes. Road militia officers are trying to push the protesters from the drive way, but unsuccessfully.

1.45pm

The participants of the rally have taken to Independence Avenue and are moving towards the House of the Government. They are shouting “Freedom!” “Long Live Belarus!” and “We are not slaves!”

1.40pm

A suggestion was made to go to Independence Square to prime minister Syargei Sidorsky. It was approved by actively by the protestors.

1.30pm

A group of young people with a banner “No tax repressions!” has just broken to the traffic way. But numerous GAI (road militia) officers have pushed them back to the pavement.

1.25pm

An offer has just been made at the rally: on 28 January, day of paying taxes for the next month, entrepreneurs should come to the local administrations, announce an indefinite strike from 1 February and refuse to pay taxes if the authorities don’t take any steps on cancelling or imposing a moratorium on the decree 760 within a week. Entrepreneurs also said they are going to hold another national rally on October Square in Minsk on 18 February. The suggestion was approved with one voice by all the people present. Meanwhile the loud speakers go on repeating the information about responsibility of the participation in unauthorised event and about possible using of physical force. But the protesters are not going to disperse.

1.15pm

Viktar Kryval, one of the leaders of entrepreneurs’ movement, spoke at the rally. He read out the statement of the representatives of Belarusians small business, which says about formation of a public forum on defence of freedoms and business. Viktar Garbachou, Viktar Kryval, Alyaksandr Tsatsura, Viktar Kalei, Ala Gurevich, Alyaksandr Makayeu, Alyaksandr Taustyka and Sofya Mityshava were offered to join the organising committee. The statement also says about an indefinite strike from 1 February, if the authorities don’t cancel the decree 760 and don’t adopt the law on small business, agreed with representatives of the entrepreneurs’ movement. It was also said that entrepreneurs made several attempts of negotiating with the authorities, but the authorities ignored them. So, entrepreneurs have to take resolute measures, including rallies, streets protest actions and strikes. The statement was supported by the participants of the rally.

1.05pm

Activists of the entrepreneurs’ movement are speaking on the square. They require respecting of their rights, call to treat them as the citizens of Belarus, and require Alyaksandr Lukashenka to come to the square. It’s known that groups of entrepreneurs from Saligorsk, Babruisk, Brest and Zhodzina have come. The banners “Saligorsk against decree 760,” “Enough waiting, let’s act!” “The Lukashenkas to the market – family business.” Entrepreneurs chose a creative approach to the action: some minutes ago a wreath with flowers appeared in the mob. The ribbons of the wreath read: “To entrepreneurs and sellers from...” Entrepreneur require the resignation of the government and first of all the dismissal of Andrei Tur, Minster of Economy. There are about 2.000 people on the square.

12.55pm

Activists of the entrepreneurs’ movement prepared an address to the OSCE and the EU. Igar Lednik, one of the activists, said it to BelaPAN on October Square 21 January. According to him, individual entrepreneurs ask the international organisations to examine the conditions of work of entrepreneurs in Belarus from the point of view of the international standards. They also ask them to express their attitude towards the trials over the leaders of entrepreneurs’ movement after the rally on 10 January. The address is planned to be passed to the OSCE office and the Embassy of France, which represents in Minsk Slovenia, heading the EU Council.

12:50pm

A rally of entrepreneurs is taking palace in Babruisk near the building of the city executive committee. About 200 people take part in it. The representatives of the local ideological department came to the gathered people and offered them to disperse under the threat of punishment.

12.45pm

In absence of the leaders of entrepreneurs, most of whom are in prison now, Ales Mikhalevich, deputy head of the Belarusian Popular Front, and Mikola Statkevich, leader of the Social Democratic Party (“Narodnaya Gramada”), took the initiative. They addressed the authorities with a requirement to stop repressions against entrepreneurs, supported the entrepreneurs in asserting their rights, and in cancelling the decree 760. They suggested to discuss the legalism of the decree in the Constitutional Court. The people greeted these demands with shouts “Freedom!” and “Long Live Belarus!” White-red-white flags and flags of the movement “For Freedom” are run up. Loud speakers are heard through the speeches. As usual they say the rally is forbidden, demand to disperse, otherwise they threaten the physical force is used. The people have no intention of going away.

12.35pm

The preventive detentions have begun. Near the Palace of Republic some people in civvies detained an unknown young man carrying a pole for a banner to the square. More and more people are coming to October Square. There are many women among them. They haven’t been afraid to take their children with them. In spite of the intimidation over last weeks, the people are calm, confident and rather decisive.

12.25pm

According to Radio Svaboda, at the same entrepreneurs are gathering on Lenin Square in Magilou. Their number is about 70 people. The rally is watched by some militiamen: a colonel and a lieutenant colonel.

12.20pm

The number of participants is growing. About half a thousand of people have gathered on the square now. There are no flags or banners yet. A number of buses with riot militia are standing on Engels Street, near October Square. Boots of the cars, parking near the Palace of Republic, are checked.

12.10pm

Militiamen are trying to detain public activist Khrystina Shatikava, who tried to come to the rally of entrepreneurs in the city center. The attempt of detention was made in a private apartment.

12.00pm

About 2.000 people have gathered on October Square in Minsk. Most of them are the youth. The first programme of the national radio is being transmitted to the square via loud-speakers. A group of people in civvies can be seen near the people gathered. Riot militia (OMON) are patrolling the neighbouring streets. They are not noted on the square.