The protesters are said to have been in Independence Square, a place that has become the center of many of the major protests held in Belarus' capital since the criticized election on 9 August. The information varies, but tut.by reports that they were surrounded by police and not released from the ring formed by the security forces.
A group of protesters are also said to have been locked in the church that is located by the square for around 40 minutes, reports the news agency Interfax. Pictures from Minsk show how uniformed police block the church gate. According to witnesses on site, it is about 100 people, including journalists, who have been locked up and not released.
More than 1,500 people are said to have gathered in the square in Minsk during Wednesday night's protests, where the police presence is reported to have been high. During the day and evening, large protests demanding the departure of Alexander Lukashenko were also held in several other Belarusian cities.