University students open school strike and demonstrate to against Lukashenko; police arrested violently
On the first school day in Belarus, a large number of university students demonstrated in Minsk along the Independence Avenue and gathered in the Victory Square to stand against the president, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years. Police arrived to violently disperse the students, without mentioning about the number of arrests.
On Sundays in the past three weeks, there were 100-200 thousands of people that demonstrated for the police brutality and Lukashenkoās manipulation of the election. On Tuesday, the first school day, thousands of millions of university students went on strike and protested on the streets. Many people held the old Belarusian āWhite, red, whiteā flag that is used by the opposition.
Students told BBC that the purpose of going to the street is to support people and express their political positions. They said they should be fearless and not just to stay at home. The BBC filmed when the riot police attacked and forcibly arrested a group of students which gathered near Victory Square. Someone kneeled to the police and demanded to release the students as they are just kids. Some students tried to block the entrances of several universities to prevent the police from entering. BBC pointed out that two Belarusian journalists were among the arrested. The police subsequently admitted that they had arrested students, but decline to tell the exact number. Since the president election on 9th August, there are continuously protests that oppose Lukashenko across Belarus. It is popularly believed that the election result is manipulated. The EU and United States have refused to recognise the result, believing that the election is neither free nor fair.
Lukashenko insisted that he got millions of supports from Belarusians. He stated that he did not hope the country to be seen divided; the state-run Berta News Agency quoted Lukashenko saying that if there are āalternative forcesā coming to power, there will be āmassacre that is worse than that in Ukraineā. When Lukashenko visited a university in western Belarus, he urged the elderly to explain to the young generations the difficulties the country has overcome over the years. Earlier before this, several national media stated that protesters had been treated in an inhumane way after the election. The authorities apologised for the violent suppression and inhuman actions, but recently began to suppress the protestors again. Maria Kolesnikova, one of the main opposition figures in Belarus, announced on Tuesday that she will form a new party called āTogetherā. She stated that Belarus is now in a political, social, and economic crisis. āOnly when we stand together will we know how to get out of the crisis,ā Kolesnikova tried to enter the presidential palace to talk with Lukashenko at a rally in the Capital last Sunday but was told that Lukashenko will not negotiate with them.
Source : Stand News #Sep2
#Belarus #Lukashenko #Kolesnikova #protests
On the first school day in Belarus, a large number of university students demonstrated in Minsk along the Independence Avenue and gathered in the Victory Square to stand against the president, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years. Police arrived to violently disperse the students, without mentioning about the number of arrests.
On Sundays in the past three weeks, there were 100-200 thousands of people that demonstrated for the police brutality and Lukashenkoās manipulation of the election. On Tuesday, the first school day, thousands of millions of university students went on strike and protested on the streets. Many people held the old Belarusian āWhite, red, whiteā flag that is used by the opposition.
Students told BBC that the purpose of going to the street is to support people and express their political positions. They said they should be fearless and not just to stay at home. The BBC filmed when the riot police attacked and forcibly arrested a group of students which gathered near Victory Square. Someone kneeled to the police and demanded to release the students as they are just kids. Some students tried to block the entrances of several universities to prevent the police from entering. BBC pointed out that two Belarusian journalists were among the arrested. The police subsequently admitted that they had arrested students, but decline to tell the exact number. Since the president election on 9th August, there are continuously protests that oppose Lukashenko across Belarus. It is popularly believed that the election result is manipulated. The EU and United States have refused to recognise the result, believing that the election is neither free nor fair.
Lukashenko insisted that he got millions of supports from Belarusians. He stated that he did not hope the country to be seen divided; the state-run Berta News Agency quoted Lukashenko saying that if there are āalternative forcesā coming to power, there will be āmassacre that is worse than that in Ukraineā. When Lukashenko visited a university in western Belarus, he urged the elderly to explain to the young generations the difficulties the country has overcome over the years. Earlier before this, several national media stated that protesters had been treated in an inhumane way after the election. The authorities apologised for the violent suppression and inhuman actions, but recently began to suppress the protestors again. Maria Kolesnikova, one of the main opposition figures in Belarus, announced on Tuesday that she will form a new party called āTogetherā. She stated that Belarus is now in a political, social, and economic crisis. āOnly when we stand together will we know how to get out of the crisis,ā Kolesnikova tried to enter the presidential palace to talk with Lukashenko at a rally in the Capital last Sunday but was told that Lukashenko will not negotiate with them.
Source : Stand News #Sep2
#Belarus #Lukashenko #Kolesnikova #protests