How Theatergoer Balaba Arrested “Free Theater”

Mikalai Khalezin, the director of the Belarusian “Free theatre”, commented on the Minsk OMON (riot police) commander’s statement that there were “theater lovers” among his subordinates.

Director of the Belarusian “Free theatre” Mikalai Khalezin commented on the Minsk OMON officer Zmitser Balaba’s statement about his subordinates. The colonel said that some of his soldiers were “avid theatergoers, history lovers and art connoisseurs…”

“Free theatre” was illegal in Belarus and was performing directly in a cottage. Despite this status, Mikalai Halezin is personally acquainted with Hollywood stars and actors of world significance, that’s why, probably, he can distinguish theatergoers from non theatergoers.

“In August 2007 French director Christian Benedetti came to Belarus and staged the “11 Shirts” play of Edward Bond. That was the premiere of “Free theatre”. Spectators took their seats. I said a welcome speech and wished pleasant viewing. Everyone sat down. And Balaba came to the stage just a second before the performance was started. His first words were: “Why is the floor black?” Everybody had the illusion that the performance had already begun. And then he said: “Please get out and walk to the bus.” Approximately 60 actors and spectators were loaded in the bus and taken to the police station,” - Mikalai Khalezin told to Euroradio.

The events unfolded after a video message to Belarusians that was recorded by Mick Jagger, the lead singer of “Rolling Stones”. The legendary rocker wished us to establish democracy and said “Long Live Belarus”. That could make the authorities feel nervous.

Khalezin has met with Balaba several times before and he notes that the OMON commander usually behaved in a “correct” and “humane” way.

“I’ve been communicating with him since 1998, when I was working as a journalist. He was a Podobed’s (OMON chief) stand-in. What Balaba has recently said is simply ridiculous. I saw him during other rally crushdowns, when we were beaten up and imprisoned in the detention centre in Akrestin Street. He had never raised his own hand against me, but it could take me up to six months to heal the bruises after beatings by his subordinates”, - Khalezin says.

The director of the theater doesn’t even compare the way the British police (Khalezin lives in London after the election of 2010) behave with the behavior of the Belarusian police. Foreign men in uniform are like a reference for him, while the Belarusian ones - harbingers of something bad.