MINSK: Protesters came out in their thousands in Minsk on Sunday demanding Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko step down. They defied a warning from the military on Sunday and flooded the capital, before dispersing.
Lukashenko called the protesters “rats” and was seen in state media footage wearing body armour and holding a rifle, projecting a strongman image amid the huge nationwide demonstrations that erupted after a disputed election on 9 August.
Minsk’s streets turned red and white as demonstrators carried flags symbolising their opposition to Lukashenko and chanted for him to leave power and for new elections to be held. The crowd marched towards Lukashenko’s residence at the Independence Palace, on the northern edge of the capital, the majority gathering at some distance, while a smaller group approached to between 10 and 20 metres of the building, a witness said.
Lukashenko was shown in state media footage flying over the protests in a helicopter before landing at his residence and emerging in body armour with a rifle in his hand. Some protesters milling below chanted “coward” as a helicopter was seen flying out of the residence.
“They have scattered like rats,” Lukashenko could be heard saying in a video clip published by Belta news agency as he flew overhead. Belarus state television said 20,000 people took part in the protest.