In Minsk there took place demonstrations of supporters of Lukashenka and the opposition
Two different rally took place on Sunday in Minsk: one gathered supporters of the incumbent President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, on the other — the opposition. If in the first, according to the interior Ministry, was attended by about 65 thousand people, in the second, according to various estimates, from 100 to 200 thousand. Information about the clashes and mass arrests were reported.
Mass protest actions of the opposition started in Belarus on 9 August, after the presidential elections, which, according to the CEC, Lukashenko won 80.1 percent of the vote. In the first days of the action were suppressed by the security forces against protesters who disagree with the results, used tear gas, water cannons, stun grenades, and rubber bullets. Security forces then stopped to disperse the rallies and enforcement. According to official data, during the first days, more than 6.7 thousand people were arrested. As reported the interior Ministry, during the riots injured hundreds of people, among them more than 120 law enforcement officers, one protester was killed.
A rally of supporters of Lukashenka was held at the government House. Lukashenko himself had performed with a 30-minute speech. He said that the elections were held, and its result in more than 80% of the votes could not be rigged.
Lukashenka rejected the idea to hold repeat elections and warned that in this case the Republic "upside down", she never "come out" of "the swamp." According to him, if someone wants to "give" the country, he will not allow this, even when the "is dead", and if the Belarusians want reforms, the authorities tomorrow they will.
"They shout at me: "Go away!" No question! No question, no question! But to kill and tear they will be us and our children! Remember this," said the President.
Lukashenko also said that the opposition will not give a quiet life: "Even if they calm down now, they'll crawl out like rats from their holes after a while. They are run by the wrong people — the puppeteers".
He also spoke about NATO troops that "clanging tracks" at the gates of Belarus, and violence on the streets, in which he accused the opposition. He urged workers not to leave the place of work, and those who spread information about its malaise, he said: "I live and will live."
The final Lukashenko's speech was emotional: "thank you so much! I stand before you on my knees for the first time in my life! You deserve it".
At the rally managed to make a few statements, the Minister of internal Affairs of Belarus Yury Karaeu. He stressed that funding of the core protesters held abroad, and even named the amount the men pay 30 rubles (about $ 12) and female 60 ($24).
He also said that all cases of violence and abuse of power by the police will be tested after the stabilization of the situation in the country.
Garayev also said that the suppression of the protests did not use firearms — only "non-lethal", and assumed that the deceased participant of opposition rallies Alexander Tarnovskogo could shoot from a "non-lethal" weapons.
Later that evening, he said news portal Tut.by that special police holding back the aggression in the interaction with the protesters, but "lawlessness" on the part of the latter may respond symmetrically.
Almost immediately after the completion of the Pro-government rally in another place near the Stela "Minsk - hero city" - began a rally of the opposition, not agreed with the city authorities. There they were joined by Maria Kolesnikova — ally Svetlana Tikhanovski, which, according to the CEC, took second place in the last election (10,12%). Kolesnikov said that the Belarusians have stolen the elections, but "we don't cheat".
"Tomorrow we apply for a criminal case on the fact of death, all the facts of bullying people, on the facts of illegal actions of law enforcement bodies", — said Kolesnikov.
Also at the meeting to the stele came from the ex-presidential candidate Andrey Dmitriev. He promised the audience "court" against Alexander Lukashenko.
At about 17: 30 people marched in the centre of the capital. A few thousand or tens of thousands of people walked under the prospectus of Winners and both banks of the Svisloch river, the police did not intervene.
Soon the protesters got to the Independence square, where a few hours before Lukashenko spoke. Close to 19.00 they filled the entire area. People chanted slogans, but the situation was calm.
Then the part of the protesters began to leave the square and headed along Independence Avenue and Moscow street. In the end, the protesters stretched a long column from the Stela "Minsk — hero city" and the prospectuses of Winners and Independence up to the Independence square. After dark, people began to disperse in different areas of the city.
Also on Sunday held a protest near the remand prison No. 1 and prison of the KGB in Minsk. On the assumption of opposition, in the first remand prison in Valadarski street contains a banker and ex-presidential candidate Victor Babariko, and the second, on Independence Avenue, the husband of Svetlana Tikhanovski Sergei tikhanovski.
According to media reports and Telegram channels, the number of participants of opposition could be from 100 to 200 thousand people. Accurate information may be known on Monday, but many have now called these protests the most massive in the history of the Republic.
The press Secretary of the Belarus Ministry of internal Affairs Olga Chemodanova reported that the rally of opposition supporters took place without incidents and arrests.
Sunday stories about the protests in Minsk showed two of the Central state Belarusian TV channel. About the first protests, told the TV channel ONT. It began with information about day of action in support of Lukashenka, about half was occupied cutting a video with quotes from the speech of the President.
About protesters gathered near the Stela "Minsk — hero city", said little more than a minute. One of the participants told the reporter that she supports the freedom of choice, which people cannot be deprived of.
The STV channel also began to release information about the Pro-government event, but after you mentioned the protests, calling them "alternative walk".
On Sunday afternoon it became known that Lukashenko once again held telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the information Agency BelTA, they conducted a "thorough consultations on all issues," the Belarusian agenda.
According to the Kremlin, the presidents discussed the situation in Belarus with account rendered to the Republic of outside pressure, and Putin confirmed the readiness to assist in resolving problems within the CSTO.
The office of the President of Ukraine on Sunday said he was not involved in what is happening in the last days in Belarus.
"Today in Minsk, almost officially, it was said that allegedly the Ukrainian leadership "orders" to hold new elections in Belarus. It's not just an outright lie. It is a conscious injection. Deliberate provocative behavior. For what? Or not: what does the Ukraine, if events relate to a purely Belarus and internal mistrust?" said in the office.