Protesters Descend on Minsk After Lukashenko's Secret Inauguration

3 年前

Protesters descended on central Minsk on Wednesday, September 23, hours after beleaguered president Alexander Lukashenko held an unannounced inauguration to begin his sixth term in office.

Demonstrators have besieged Lukashenko since an August 9 election that state officials said he won in a landslide. However, the results were denounced by opposition politicians who claimed the election was rigged in Lukashenko’s favor. Many of Lukashenko’s opponents, as well as foreign officials, have had to flee the country.

This footage, taken the Belarusian capital on Wednesday, shows protesters blocking traffic. Riot police can be seen tackling protesters to the ground, and a security vehicle is shown shooting a water cannon. Credit: TUT.by via Storyful