Lukashenka Totally Lost His Mind? (Video, online)

The authorities got scared of a peaceful demonstration on the Freedom Day.

Today, an action dedicated to the anniversary of the proclamation of the independence of the Belarusian People's Republic was held in Minsk. The event was scheduled to begin at 14-00 at the Academy of Sciences.

However, the police cordoned off the gathering place of the protesters and demanded that people should leave the territory. Nevertheless, the Minskers continued to gather in the area. Several thousand people took a rally alongside the Independence Avenue towards the Kastrychnitskaya Square

However, cordons of armed riotpolicemen and water cannons were set against peaceful people. A lot of people were detained, including human rights defenders and journalists, also foreign ones.

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The people remain in the streets - they are walking around the center in small groups. The people are angry, they openly express their outrage, give interviewsto the media.

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Hundreds of people have been detained in Minsk. Mass arrests happened from all the sides next to the Academy of Sciences, in the Yakub Kolas Square area, Kazlou Street, Masherau Avenue, and close to Surhanau Street, Kuzma Chorny Street, and Kalinin Square.

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Eye-witnesses claim that riot policemen behaved like gangsters, grabbing people who were standing at the bus-stops.

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Riot police are dislocated in the BNTU backyard.

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The water-cannons are moving alongside the avenue. The people are whistling and shouting “Shame!” at them.

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The people inform that the MTC switched off the 3G and 4G connection.

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The action continues. The people are gathering in groups and go alongside the Independence Avenue, chanting “Long Live Belarus!”

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Water cannons are moving alongside theIndependence Avenue. The people meet them with whistles and “Shame!” shouts.

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French citizens have been detained in the Yakub Kolas Square area.

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The riot policemen are leaving, the people are booing them, shouting “Shame!”

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The people are shouting “Long Live Belarus!” in front of the shields.

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A young lady went down to her knees and started praying before the cordon of the riot police.

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Detentions continue in the Yakub Kolas Square area.

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The authorities are jamming stream videos from the actions.

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Riot policemen are rattling their shields to scare the people.

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People are being detained in the area of Yakub Kolas Square.

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The people continue standing in front of the riot police.

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Journalists have reported a water cannon arrived. the mop-up operation has started.

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The people are standing in front of the riot police, chanting “Long Live Belarus!”

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Riot police cordon with shields blocked the Independence Avenue.

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Riot policemen with shields are moving on the people.

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The participant of the action is saying to the journalists: “Tell everyone what is going on! This is outrageous! There have been nothing of the kind before! We cannot move freely in our city.”

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This is how the people bypassed the riot police who tried to stand in their way. The people are shouting “Fascists!”

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The people blocked the traffic movement in the Avenue in order to cross the road.

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The people put the white-red-white flags on their shoulders. The participants of the rally are shouting “Fascists!” at the riot policemen running aside the column.

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The column is carrying a white-red-white flag. The people are chanting “Shame!”

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The column of over a thousand people is moving in the direction of Yakub Kolas square.

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A great number of people have concentrated in the Independence Avenue near Piatrus Brouka Street.

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“I am sick of these authorities! They want to control us every minute, even under the blanket. Lukashenka’s time has passed, and Putin won’t be able to help him,” – the people say.

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At the ground near the Academy of Sciences, the people who made it to the building get detained periodically.

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The people are still arriving, walking along the Independence Avenue. They openly express their anger.

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The people are outraged with the actions of the authorities. They demand to let them approach the building of the Academy of Sciences. An elderly lady-pensioner tried to take out a poster, riot policemen attacked her. The lady felt bad, someone called the ambulance.