Freedom Day 2013: detentions continue

The opposition decided to celebrate the Freedom Day on March 24 this year, as the anniversary of declaration of the Belarusian People's Republic - March 25 - falls on Monday.

The authorities did not allow gathering near the Botanic Garden and suggested the ground near the "October" cinema instead. Construction works are ongoing there at the moment. Therefore, this year's action will be limited to a rally from "October" cinema to the Bangalore Square and a small demonstration there.

16:05 It has been informed that there are 3 Ukrainian citizens in the Savetski district police department.

15:40 "Vyasna" observers inform that 8 people have been delivered to the Savetski district police department.

15:30 The human rights center “Vyasna” has informed that there have been new detentions in the Bangalore Square: “European Belarus” activists Aleh Rahouski and Mikita Kavalyou.

15.20 BelaPAN informs with a reference to Anatol Lyabedzka that two participants of the action have been detained at the public transport stop in the area of the Bangalore Square – Zmitser Kavalhin from the “Young Democrats” (he is holding the poster “Freedom to Kolya!” in the photos). According to eye-witnesses, a car with darkened windows came to the stop, the activists were detained and pulled into it. 

14:50 According to the human rights center "Vyasna", 4 participants of the Freedom Day action have been detained near McDonalds in Bahdanovich Street. They were coming back to the bus stop after the demonstration.

14:27 The demonstration is over. The people are leaving, the youth are singing songs. Rymasheuski collected all the portraits of political prisoners. The flags have been folded and taken away by the people. Everybody is leaving peacefully, the police do not detain anyone.

14:20 Vital Rymasheuski has held a speech. He has learnt that there was an order to the riot policemen to detain the people with portraits, posters or big flags. He suggested to hand all this in to the organizers.

14:05 The demonstration has started. Chairman of the BPF Alyaksei Yanukevich has held a speech. He spoke about the threat to the state independence, like, they sold Beltransgas, plan to sell other enterprises, while Russia wants to get back the great empire. So we need to do everything to defend the independence.

The organizers have only the megaphone, other sound equipment is prohibited.

13.58 Half of the people have come through the turnstiles. They are waiting for all the rest to do so and then the demonstration will start. Euroradio’s correspondent Zmitser Lukashuk notes that there have become a little less people than in the rally.

"I saw some people who didn’t want to go inside the sealed area in the Bangalore Square and decided to leave. Also, some people left near the Square as they came only to participate in the rally”, - Zmitser Lukashuk reports.

13.45 The column has arrived to the Bangalore Square. Everything is sealed here as well. The police let the people in through the metal detectors after search. "They do not search the people thoroughly, just ask to take out keys, cell phones etc.," - reports our correspondent

Ales Piletski.

13.30 The column is approaching the Bangalore Square. Meanwhile, someone shot two fireworks during the rally. The rally stopped at those moments. The police did not react. 

13.22 Nasha Niva operator Tatsyana Haurylchyk has been released from the police department. 

13.20 The column has passed the shopping center “Europe”. According to Zmitser Lukashuk, the people are not carrying any posters as Minsk city executive committee prohibited posters and banners. The participants of the action are carrying portraits of political prisoners, chanting “Long Live Belarus” and “Free political prisoners”.

12.55 The column has passed the crossroads of Surhanau Street and Yakub Kolas Street, accompanied by riot police and traffic police.

12.30 People have started moving in a column from "October" cinema to Surhanau Street, from where they will proceed to the Bangalore Square. There are about 2 thousand people in the column.

Chairman of the BPF Alyaksei Yanukevich says they did not set a goal of attracting as many people as possible to the action. They wanted to show that people do remember this date. Besides, the organizers are obliged to pay for the services of the police and the ambulance. The total amount is unknown yet, but they had to pre-pay Br 600 K to the ambulance.

People arrive, but don't go into the sealed space

Collection of signatures for naming one of Minsk streets after Kastus Kalinouski

12.05 Nasha Niva operator Tatsyana Haurylchyk has been detained, allegedly for filming policemen, Zmitser Lukashuk informs. According to some information, Tatsyana is in the metro police department now.

11.50 About 200 people have gathered, hoisting the white-red-white flags as well as the flags of the BCD and the European Belarus.

11.40 20-30 participants of the action have arrived. They do not come inside the sealed space and are standing near the "Fresh Cafe". There are about 15 journalists, and police top officials, at least Hryshchanka. 5 people with walkie-talkies are keeping warm in the cinema foye. Rymasheuski and Shchukin have come.

11.30 Euroradio's correspondent Ales Piletski:

The place of gathering near "October" cinema has been sealed by turnstiles. Riot policemen let people in through the metal detectors. No participants of the action are seen by now. About 10 policemen in uniform stand behind the turnstiles, and as many riot policemen. There are also people in plain clothes with video-cameras.Policemen with louspeakers are also standing in the metro undeground passage.

Photo by Andrei Kabanau, Facebook

This year's Freedom Day has its peculiarities - it is the coldest Freedom Day in the XXI century, the warmest one was in 2004.

According to some information, riot police are getting closer to the place of gathering. Mikhail Hulin has writted this in his Facebook page.

"There are police vans parked in Darashevich Street, with the "fighters" aboard!"