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In Minsk, the capital of Belarus, protesters raised white and red balloons as a sign of their protest against the ruler Alexander Lukashenko. Others marched through residential areas with the opposition’s white, red and white flag, as images and videos showed on the Telegram news channel.
Therefore, there were several arrests. Initially, there was no massive intervention by masked security forces as in previous weeks. Since the protests began more than four months ago, more than 30,000 people have been detained by the police. The opposition had called for the balloon campaign, also to avoid many arrests before the upcoming New Year celebrations.
People should let helium-filled balloons rise as a sign of resentment, the democracy movement had announced. People don’t even have to leave the house for that. “Just open the window and let the balloon take off,” reads the appeal for the upcoming New Year’s celebrations, which are traditionally held at home. “We expect wind at this point, our wind of change.” The movement demands the resignation of Lukashenko, but also new elections and the release of all political prisoners.
Archbishop of Minsk was allowed to return home
The security forces are again present in Minsk in large numbers. The prison transporters had been seen in pictures. There were also sympathizers of the authoritarian head of state in the capital. They had greeted passing policemen, the independent news portal tut.by reported.
After the controversial presidential elections on August 9, after 26 years in power, Lukashenko, 66, was declared the winner again with 80.1 percent. The EU no longer recognizes him as president. Svetlana Tichanovskaya sees the democratic movement as the winner. He fled to the EU country Lithuania.
The opposition cited the lifting of the Minsk Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz’s entry ban as a sign of hope. Held church services in Minsk at Christmas. He had finally returned home, the head of Belarusian Catholics had written in a letter published Thursday.
Pope Francis had advocated for his return to Lukashenko. The head of state himself said according to the state agency Belta that there were no political reasons for his decision.
