Freedom Day celebration in Minsk (online, photo, video)
The Freedom Day demonstration is over. It lasted for about an hour because of the sound equipment confiscation. The people are leaving the Bangalore Square.
16:15. Euroradio's correspondent Vital Ruhain states that all the participants of the demonstration dedicated to the 94th anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic left the Bangalore Square.
16:00. Video of the Freedom Day celebration in the Bangalore Square:
15:55. More photos from the Bangalore Square, taken by Ales Piletski:
15:48. Zmitser Lulashuk and singer Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich on air to Euroradio: "The people came here even in such weather, under the rain, and this is very good," - says Vaitsiushkevich. - As for the sound, that's not tragic, as nothing could be done".
15:47. Uladzimir Kolas is holding a speech. The demonstration is over.
15:41. Alyaksei Yanukevich and Alyaksandr Milinkevich held speeches about Freedom and the role of the Belarusian People's Republic in the destiny of contemporary Belarus.
15:39. Janitors accompanied the column to the Bangalore Square:
15:30. Syarhei Kavalenka's wife at the Freedom Day demonstration in Minsk:
Photo: @aFrippery
15:25. Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich sings into a megaphone, the guitar is nearly unheard. Euroradio's correspondent Vital Ruhain complains that is it possible to hear something only when you are standing by the stage. However, the people don't give up and keep shouting "Long Live Belarus!"
15:19. People start leaving the Bangalore square due to strong rain and wind.
15:12. The Bangalore Square several minutes ago. Euroradio's correspondent vital Ruhain estimates the number of people as 2 000.
Photo: Anton Matolka.
15:10. Artist Ales Marachkin reads out the greetings of the BPR Council Chairperson Ivonka Survilla.
15:09. Uladzimir Kolas starts the demonstration.
15:08. Euroradio's correspondent Ales Piletski noticed Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich in the square. He is confused and doesn't want to sing in a megaphone.
15:06. Euroradio's correspondent Zmitser Lukashuk informs that the sound equipment which caught the traffic police’s attention, was state-owned. The organizers of the demonstration paid 670 thousand roubles for its rental.
15:05. It is raining heavily again, but it doesn't stop the action's participants:
15:03. Representatives of non-formal communities also came to celebrate the Freedom Day:
15:01. All demonstrators who walked along Surhanau Street arrived to the Bangalore Square.
14:53. A car with the sound equipment for the demonstration has been detained in the Bangalore Square. According to the information provided by the event's organizers, it is in one of Minsk police departments now.
14:44. Zmitser Lukashuk has informed on air to Euroradio that the activists of the youth organization "European Belarus" decided not to go to the Bangalore Square as it was allowed by the authorities, because "it is a famous place for dog-walking".
14:39. Eye-witnesses inform that the police vans are going in the direction of the Bangalore square from Niamiha.
14:35. A photo of the column taken by Anton Matolka:
14:30. The column stretched across Surhanau Street. There was an accident near the shopping center "Riga" - a trolley-bus and a car collided.
14:28. The head of the column reached the shopping center "Riga". "European Belarus" folded their flags - they decided not to go to the Bangalore Square as an organized group. They will go to the demonstration dedicated to the Freedom Day "individually".
14:27. Democratic activists from Russia were noticed in the crowd, with a small poster "F*** Kremlin!".
14:23. The column stretched along Surhanau Street from Yakub Kolas Street to the Independence Avenue.
14:20. Civil activist Anatol Mikhnavets told Euroradio how the Freedom Day was celebrated in Warsaw:
14:16. The first video of the Freedom Day celebration near the Academy of Sciences. You can evaluate the number of participants yourself! (The City Administration of Internal Affairs of Minsk city executive committee claims that the column which is walking along Surhanau Street contains 200 people)
14:15. More photos from the Academy of Sciences:
14:08. It stopped raining so heavily. Riot policemen are walking side-by-side with the column along Surhanau Street. The last people are crossing the Independence Ave now, janitors are closing the column. The automobile movement will be resumed soon.
14:03. The head of the column has already crossed the Independence ave and is walking along Surhanau Street, while its tail is still on the ground near the Academy of Sciences. The police organized the column's crossing the avenue, and a traffic jam emerged at both directions.
14:00. It is raining heavily in the center of Minsk. The column slowly moved in the direction of the Bangalore Square.
13:56. Passers-by noticed 6 military vans for transportation of people near the entrance to the Horky Park.
13:50. The participants of the rally are forming a column and leaving the Academy of Sciences slowly. Their number surpassed one thousand people.
13:45. Euroradio's correspondent Vital Ruhain reports on air from the Bangalore Square. He says that the police sealed a small ground around the stage in the People's Friendship Park. There are special tables for checking people's things at the entrances to the ground. No organizers of the demonstration are seen, and there is no preparation for the concert either.
13:40. Uladzimir Kolas speaks on air to Euroradio. He clarifies that the rally will start at 14 - 14.30. Uladzimir wishes the Belarusians unity and says that the common strive for unity is the main theme of this year's Freedom Day celebration.
13:34. Uladzimir Kolas announced through a megaphone that the rally to the Bangalore Square would start at 14.00.
13:30. First photos from the Academy of Sciences:
13:20. Victar Ivashkevich appeared near the Academy of Sciences.
13:18. Euroradio's correspondent Ales Piletski says that there is a streamer "Young Belarus" and some posters "Freedom for Political Prisoners!". Many people are standing at the exit of the "Academy of Sciences" metro station. the number of people is about 1 thousand. The people are chanting "Long Live Belarus!".
13:13. Ryhor Kastusyou came to the Academy of Sciences.
13:10. About 500 people gathered near the Academy of
Sciences. The participants of the rally hoisted white-red-white flags and the
flags of the "European Belarus".
13:05. The
police installed the turnstiles and slowly let the people in to the building of
the Academy of Sciences.
12:50. First police vans emerged at the academy of Sciences. One is parked in the yard, two others - at the other side of Academic Street.
12:30. There appeared an advertisement that the Freedom Day celebration will take place at 18.00, at the web-site of the "Young Front" (Czech Republic). The gathering is announced near the Academy of Sciences. Probably, the "Young Front" decided to hold their own celebration, or someone took control over their web-site.
Freedom Day celebrated in Minsk
The city authorities gave their permit to the opposition for conducting a festive action. The participants of the action will gather at 13.30 near the building of the National Academy of Sciences. Then there will be a rally across Surhanau Street up to the Bangalore Square and the demonstration in the People's Friendship Park, from 14.30 till 17.00.
The action's organizers have informed to BelaPAN that they reached agreement with Minsk police administration that there will be no obstacles in using white-red-white flags and national symbols, as well as slogans relevant to the action's theme.
Besides, the "Young Front" disagreed with the officially approved route of the action. Representatives of this organization intend to celebrate the Freedom Day in the center of the capital.
In many regions of Belarus, street actions on March 25 were prohibited.
