Belarus election demonstrators defy ban

MINSK – Hundreds of opposition supporters camped yesterday in the main square of Minsk after an all-night vigil, defying a government ban and icy cold to protest the re-election of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

About 300 protesters, mostly young, stayed on Oktyabrskaya Square throughout the night alongside opposition presidential candidate Alexander Milinkevich, hoping to emulate the people power tactics of Ukraine’s “orange revolution” a little over a year ago. An opposition spokesman told AFP that four close aides to Milinkevich had been arrested during the night.One of the protest organisers, Vyacheslau Siuchyk, said around 30 activists had also been detained.In heavy snow, demonstrators waved red and white striped flags – the country’s historical banner that Lukashenko replaced with a Soviet-look red and green flag – and cheered “Long Live Belarus!” when cars driving past honked their horns.The protests began on Sunday after the close of voting in the disputed presidential election in which Lukashenko swept to a third term in office with an overwhelming 82,6 per cent of the vote.- Nampa-AFPAn opposition spokesman told AFP that four close aides to Milinkevich had been arrested during the night.One of the protest organisers, Vyacheslau Siuchyk, said around 30 activists had also been detained.In heavy snow, demonstrators waved red and white striped flags – the country’s historical banner that Lukashenko replaced with a Soviet-look red and green flag – and cheered “Long Live Belarus!” when cars driving past honked their horns.The protests began on Sunday after the close of voting in the disputed presidential election in which Lukashenko swept to a third term in office with an overwhelming 82,6 per cent of the vote.- Nampa-AFP