They haven't killed us yet.

The Russian Mushroom is a great site for news about the current protests in Belarus over the phony election of their prison guard President

A small protest camp was set up in Minsk since Sunday night, while the State Police cracked down on protests across the country. Last night the police raided the camp.

So ends people power in Belarus. Swept up in the back of a police van. Please turn off your cellphones.

Belarus Protesters Hauled Off to Jail

Milinkevich's spokesman, Sergei Voznyak, said the opposition leader had been at the camp earlier but left before the crackdown, which occurred about 3 a.m. He estimated the number of detained at 400 to 600. He said they would most likely face 10 to 15 days in prison.

Voznyak said he was not sure whether Saturday's rally would proceed as planned. "Obviously, the people arrested today would make the core of that rally Saturday, and now they're all in prison," he said.

As she was transported toward the Okrestina detention center on the southwest outskirts of Minsk, Vanina said it appeared that authorities "ran out of patience" and moved to end the protests.

"They announced to the world that the Belarus people are all united in their love for Lukashenko. And they didn't want us to sit there and show the rest of the country that there is another Belarus, which is not afraid, which is not prepared to live in lies," she said.

Shortly after that, the truck stopped and she whispered that she would leave the telephone on as she and the others filed out. "Our conversation is coming to an end," she whispered. "Listen to whatever is about to happen. Farewell."

A harsh male voice could be heard soon thereafter. "Listen here, all of you!" it said. "Switch off your phones and get out, one by one."

And then the phone went dead.

They haven't killed us yet.

We are not panicking Radio Svaboda's correspondent quotes an arrested girl, Taciana Snitko, as transcribed by LJ user alteaenerle (RUS)

We didn't resist the crackdown. First we sat on the ground chanting "Police with the people," then we stopped chanting. We just silently held each other's hands. We weren't afraid, because we were anticipating this.

Now we are being taken by a truck outside the city. Through a tony window we can see something and figure out where we're being taken. Somebody said Cimiriazeva street, then Arlowskaya. Looks like we've left the city already.

Some guys got beaten up. They have blood on their faces. In our truck, girls didn't get beaten.

They haven't shot us down yet. We are not panicking.



Belarussian Anarchists Call for Solidarity!

In Minsk, Belarus, a tent camp was set up in the central October Square to protest against election fraud. Last night, this camp was brutally evicted with about 500 arrests. One of the evicted tents was the indymedia tent. Belarussian Anarchists are asking for solidarity. Belarussian anarchists call for solidarity!


In Minsk, Belarus, a tent camp has been set up in the central October Square, to protest against election fraud. Last night, this camp was brutally evicted with about 500 arrests. One of the evicted tents was the indymedia tent. Belarussian Anarchists are asking for solidarity.

Minsk. This morning, Belarussian anarchists distributed information: Last night, 23 March 06, 3:30 AM, the Belarussian riot police (OMON) started to destroy the tent camp that has been put up in October Square in the city center to protest against the fraud elections in Belarus.

30 to 40 tents were trashed, around 500 people arrested. Among the destroyed tents was a tent of the Belarussian Indymedia. Among the arrested are many known anarchists, such as members of anarcho-punk band Deviation (singer Stas Pochyobut) and editors of the banned satirical anarchist paper Navinki.

Anarchists were constantly present in the tent camp with a few dozen people. Yesterday, the United Civil Party reported that all internet cafes in the area were closed to complicate reporting.

The people arrested were heavily brutalized. As all the police stations in the city are full of people who were arrested during the last 10 days (opposition groups estimate the number of people arrested all over Belarus at 5000), those who were arrested at the tent camp were taken to unknown destinations off the city limits. Their location, condition and charges pressed against them are currently unknown.

Belarussian anarchists also ask for any kind of solidarity actions at Belarussian embassies around the world!

Follow belarus.indymedia.org for updates and video footage coming up.


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Belarus, Minsk, Lukashenko, Election, Protests, Demonstrations, Arrests