Rallies On Freedom Day Take Place In Brest, Hrodna, Vitsebsk and Homel (Video, Online)

More than 500 persons march along the streets in Brest.

On Freedom Day hundreds of people take part in the street rallies in Brest, Hrdna, Vitsebsk and Homel.

14.19

Rally in Homel ends.

14.08

Two journalists of tut.by detained after the rally in Homel.

14.05

Rally in Brest finished.

14.02

In Homel people go with Larysa Shchyrakova. She expresses gratitude to them for being her guards.

14.00

A school teacher of Larysa Shchyrakova makes a speech: "I have experienced real banditism under Lukashenka’s rule, and I have no fear any more. And I want to say to Lukashenka, who is observing that: over the 20 years I have educated so many patriots, including journalist Larysa Shchyrakova, that I think I have fulfilled my duty. And our authorities are like cancer, which first destroys the country, and then is to destroy itself. But thanks to such meetings as today we won’t allow doing so. "

13.55

The rally in Vitsebsk ends.

13:52

Protesters in Homel disband. People offer Belsat journalist Larysa Shchyrakova to be her guards, and to change clothes not to be detained.

13.51

The first detention after the rally in Vitsebsk – riot policemen take BPF activist Leanid Autukhou away from the street. It has been reported by human rights activist Leanid Svetsik.

13.50

The rally in Homel is finished. People start to disband. Only a few activists and participants stay on the scene, they make pictures with flags and talk to journalists.

13.45

A resolution has been adopted at the rally in Homel: to cancel the Decree #3, to cancel the Decree #222 on obligatory certification of goods for sole traders, to abolish the contract system and increase in pension age, to amend the electoral code and carry out free elections.

13.41

Ihar Maslouski, chairman of the regional branch of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party walks among the crowd at the rally in Brest with a box for donations. He offers to donate money for rallies, for the authorities not to claim that the West sponsors rallies. People are disbanding little by little. There were 500 participants at the rally at maximum, and now there are about 250 of them. Everyone can make a speech with a microphone. "I want to live in the country which is shown on TV," – one of the protesters says.

13:40

Organisers of the meeting in Hrodna announce the rally is over.

13.31

People approach to the monument to Karatkevich in Vitsebsk. Khrystafor Zheliapau and Haradok activist, chairman of Vitsebsk regional BPF organization Leanid Autukhou address the protesters.

Zheliapau says that Belarusians must speak Belarusian – this is the beginning of the national revival. He recalls the BNR period and the deeper history, saying that "when hens were running on in Moscow, we already had cities and palaces."

The rally comes to an end. People break up, 30-50 participants stay to listen to the activists.

13:30

The column freely reaches the monument to Karatkevich in Vitsebsk. The people have brought flowers.

13:36

Hrodna rally participants chant "Long live Belarus!" and "Shame on power!"

13:35

The BPR hymn "We will come out in dense rows" is collectively recited at the rally in Hrodna.

13:24

The resolution is unanimously adopted at the rally in Hrodna.

13:20

Representatives of city authorities – Henadz Barysiuk, the Head of Administration of Leninski district of Brest, and Mikalai Krasouski, the Chairman of the City Council of Deputies speak at the meeting in Brest. Krasouski suggests people to go with their problems to the deputies of the City Council. The protesters shout in reply: "Shame!"

13:11

A free microphone works at the rally in Homel. Anyone can comment on the sore. Head of the administration of Chyhunachny district of the city Utkin and Chairman of the Homel City Council of Deputies Baradzinchyk stand apart. The protesters are invited to go to the hall. The marchers demand to cancel the decree № 3.

13:10

A short speech about the need to preserve the independence of Belarus is made near the monument to Alherd in Vitsebsk. Next, people take to Lenin Street and Suvorov Street up to the Bykau memorial plaque, then – to the end point of the march – the monument to Karatkevich.

13:09

Professor Ales Astrouski speaks in Hrodna. "Work is glorified in our culture. Belarusians are hard-working people. Authorities are trying to make us "parasites". 150 years ago, Kalinouski said: the government is for the people, not the people for the government. And then everything will be fine." The protesters applaud. "Let's say to the power – Belarus is our land, and we are its masters!". Protesters echo this call.

13:08

A meeting participant in Homel: "I'm not a parasite, I’m not comfortable with the fact that a mediocre person has been in power for 23 year. His company is merely the same. He has made, as he says himself, a feed trough and they all grunt around it. It is necessary to change the government."

13:04

In independent journalist Larysa Schyrakova’s live stream of the Homel rally, people say on-camera that the patience of the nation is over.

13:11

Hrodna protester says: "We are people! It’s enough to endure! Land, freedom, bread, salt! We live in the 21st century, and I’m told – you have something to eat. But we live in the 21st century! We cannot wear bast shoes and ride in carts. We have some other needs than just to work, eat and sleep. A stoop and a piece of bacon won’t do any more! The unemployed are paid 800 euros in Finland. And we have to pay the tax on top!"

13:00

The Brest rally starts on Freedom Square. Heads of regional structures of the BPF Party, the Belarusian Social Democratic Party, the United Civil Party address the participants. They read a resolution, it states that the audience condemns the detentions of peaceful protesters to the decree № 3 and the journalists, who cover the events, express their disagreement with the decree № 3 and insist on its complete abolition, stand for favorable conditions for the creation of new jobs through the development of small and medium-sized businesses.

13:00

About 500 Brest residents walk with white-red-white flags in the center of Brest.

13:00

The column numbers about 150 people in Vitsebsk. The people stop at the traffic lights and wait for the green light. The column is accompanied by police cars.

12:59

One of those present makes a speech in Hrodna. He is indignant at the Decree №3 and the fact that there is nothing to eat.

"It’s time to yield the seat. Perhaps, Lukashenka has stopped the rot, but his time has passed."

12:55

Speakers say at the rally in Hrodna: "The power is afraid of us. This is already a victory. Long Live Belarus!"

12:55

In Vitsebsk, a former military man, who has previously tried to run for deputy, tells about the falsification and pressure during the elections. "The ideologists simply serve with the authorities," – he stresses.

12:54

The Hrodna protesters demand from the European Union "to clean the Belarusian authorities’ clock" for the arrests on the eve of Freedom Day.

12:53

The protesters in Homel chant "Shame!" at the expense of the police.

12:51

The participants of the rally in Homel come to the square near the University. The square is cordoned off by metal barriers. The police inspect people and want to seize white-red-white flags. The people do not give the flags away.

12:49

People raise money to cover the spending of the Freedom Day celebration in Hrodna.

12:40

Vitsebsk residents march out to the monument to Karatkevich. The people want to lay flowers at the monument.

12:40

The column of 500 people enters Freedom Square in Brest, there are speakers in the square and music is playing. Eyewitnesses report about activist Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk’s detention, who, according to them, was not taking part in the rally, she was just standing not far.

12:33

"Belarus begins with self-esteem," – Tatsiana Seviarynets says at the rally in Vitsebsk. People respond with the cry "Long live Belarus!"

12:30

Tatsiana Seviarynets comes to the Vitsebsk rally.

12:25

More than 200 people have gathered at the rally in Brest. People chant "Long live Belarus!" There are a lot of white-red-white flags.

12:15

A white-red-white flag is put up near the stele in honor of the 850th anniversary of Hrodna. More than 100 people have gathered at the meeting. The participants are handed out BPR passports.

12:10

400 people march from Revolt Square in Homel. The people at the forefront of the column chant: "Say no to decree №3, Lukashenka resign!" The column chants "Long live Belarus!" New people join the column. Cars honk in support of the protesters.

12:00

Some dozen of people have gathered on the central square in Vitsebsk.