Forth wave of entrepreneurs’ protest
- 18.02.2008, 15:11
Entrepreneurs’ protest action, which was to be held in Minsk on 18 February, was cracked down by riot militia. The people were forced out of square several times, as people come to the action, they were pushed out in the direction of Internatsyanalnaya and Bahdanovich Street. Total about 1 000 people participated in the action. Political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin’s daughter Volha, leader of the movement “For Freedom!” Alyaksandr Milinkevich, entrepreneurs’ leader Alyaksandr Makaeu and democratic activist Vyachaslau Siuchyk were detained.
Entrepreneurs’ protest action was organised for the forth times during 3 last months in Minsk. Individual entrepreneurs took to street in protest against Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s decree ruining their business by allowing them to hire only close relatives.
If people managed to gather on October (Kastrychnitskaya) Square in Minsk previously, this time the square was cordoned off by the riot militia. The first group of entrepreneurs, come to the city center with posters and banners, was forced out at once. Tens of riot militiamen convoyed the people to the Opera Theatre. The entrepreneurs didn’t return to October Square, but went to the TV-center on Kamunistychnaya Street. Riot militiamen didn’t allow the people in the TV-center, but one of the leaders of entrepreneurs managed to pass a statement to the administration of the National TV with the requirement to give airtime for individual entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile the militia was conducting mopping-up operations on October Square. As soon as some tens of people were coming to the square, militia were encircling them and forcing out to the neighbouring streets. At the same time Lenin and Engels Streets were blocked to prevent people of coming back to the square. This scheme was used by riot militia at least five times.
The people were treated especially brutally when political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin’s daughter Volha came to the square. She and lawyer Ihar Rynkevich unfurled a banner “Freedom for individual entrepreneurs!” with fastened to it pictures of her father. “My father would support entrepreneurs and their struggle,” Volha said.
The daughter of the political prisoner didn’t manage to stay on the square for a long time. About twenty riot militiamen run up to her, they began to force people out of the square. An order of riot militia commander Yury Padabed was heard through radioset: “Detained the one in red!” (Volha Kazulina wore red jacket). As a result the girl was detained, and entrepreneurs and journalists were forced out behind the Palace of Republic.
People were also detained on the way to the square. So, leader of the movement “For Freedom!” Alyaksandr Milinkevich and his aids Ales Lahvinets and Ales Kryvalets were detained and guarded to the investigatory committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Riot militiamen stood at the metro station “Kastrychnitskaya” and stopped every man aged from 30 to 50, who in their view might be potential participants of the entrepreneurs’ action. Journalists with photo- and videoequipment were not let to leave the pedestrian subway.
Mopping up of the October Square lasted about 1.5 hours. Finally the leaders of entrepreneurs called people to disperse because it wasn’t possible to at the square. But entrepreneurs said with confidence they would take to streets on 25 March next time to celebrate 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic.