Tens of thousands of people gathered Sunday, September 20 in Belarus for new protest marches against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, despite police pressure illustrated by more than 160 arrests.

Dressed in red and white, the colors of the opposition, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in the afternoon on the main avenues of the capital Minsk, noted an AFP journalist.

Since the disputed re-election of Alexander Lukashenko on August 9, demonstrations of historic magnitude have taken place every weekend to demand the departure of the Head of State, in power for 26 years.

Protesters rallied despite the deployment in Minsk of armored vehicles, water cannons and dozens of riot police. 

Over a hundred arrests in Minsk 

More than 100 people were arrested in the capital on the sidelines of these protest actions, according to human rights group Viasna.

20 верасня у Мінску і рэгіёнах прайшоў Марш справядлівасці.

Не абыйшлося без брутальных затрыманняў і ўжывання спецсродкаў міліцыяй.


🔹 Спіс затрыманых у гэты дзень тут - https://t.co/Evgzn8yCU1



⚠ Інфармацыя абнаўляецца і Беларусь дапаўняецца # # # Вясна Протесты # # Міліцыя Хапун pic.twitter.com/ShfOCM1ZUH

- Viasna (@ viasna96) September 20, 2020

Images broadcast in the evening by local media showed arrests, sometimes brutal, by hooded police.

About fifty arrests were also recorded during demonstrations in the provinces, especially in the cities of Grodno, Gomel and Brest, according to Viasna.

In Brest, in the southwest of the country, tear gas was used and a police officer used a stun grenade to disperse the crowd, said the Minister of the Interior.

In Minsk, protesters gathered again in a festive atmosphere, waving red and white flags.

"Broom!" They chanted to the attention of Alexander Lukashenko.

Slogans were also aimed at Russian President Vladimir Putin, a major support for Alexander Lukashenko in this crisis which has shaken Belarus for a month and a half.

"Putin, remove your fork from the Belarusian potato!", Launched protesters, alluding to one of the emblematic agricultural productions of this former Soviet republic.

"An escalation of violence"

The day before, the police had brutally dispersed a demonstration of women: 415 people had been arrested in the capital, according to the ministry.

Fifteen had been arrested in other towns.

Most of them were later released, according to this source.

The opposition Coordinating Council warned of "a new phase in an escalation of violence against peaceful protesters".

Sunday, Oleg Moisseev, a member of this Council and a close ally of the opponent Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa, was arrested in Minsk during the opposition march.

In the face of police repression, a well-followed opposition Telegram channel, Nexta, reproduced a list of more than 1,000 people presented as Belarusian police officers. 

During the protest actions, demonstrators regularly try to remove the masks or hoods of police officers who do not wear badges or badges with their identity.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa in Brussels on Monday 

Refugee in Lithuania, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who claims her victory in the August 9 election, said on Saturday, quoted by her press service, that "Belarusians were ready to drop the anonymity of those who obey criminal orders ".

President Alexander Lukashenko refuses to bow and has requested the help of Vladimir Putin, who has pledged security support in Minsk if needed and promised Belarus a loan of $ 1.5 billion.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa is due to meet the foreign ministers of the member states of the European Union in Brussels on Monday.

European sanctions are planned against Belarusian personalities found responsible for electoral fraud and police repression.

The Belarusian regime has imprisoned many cadres of the Opposition Coordination Council created by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.

Others had to flee their country.

Maria Kolesnikova, one of her leading allies, refused to be driven out of Belarus.

She is now imprisoned and accused of endangering national security.

In a message published on Sunday, she addressed her supporters: "Do not be afraid to be free!".

With AFP

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