On question where demonstrators are guarded to, riot militiaman said “To be shot”

• 15.07.2008, 9:38

Yesterday during a crackdown of the action of solidarity with the opposition youth, arrested after the 4 July blast in Minsk, riot militiamen behaved especially rudely.

As the “Young Front” press service informs, about 50 people gathered at the square. Within the five minutes after the participants of the action unfurled national white-red-white and EU flags and formed a human chain holding portraits of arrested young people in hands, dozens of riot militiamen encircled them and began to force out of the square. Young Front member Alena Makarevich was hit at her nose, politician Anatol Lyabedzka was knocked down to the ground and beaten up so cruelly, that he needed someone’s assistance to rise to his feet. He was taken to hospital later.

The people were guarded to Maksim Bahdanovich Street and then allowed to go away by small groups. It is worth noting the riot militiamen behaved especially rudely: they pushed and hit on legs both young and old people; on a question of a Young Front member where the people are guarded, a riot militia officer said “To be shot”, another girl was said “Go away, scum!”

The participants of the action were followed by two Arabs - an English-speaking Muslim and his interpreter. The Arabs were shouting during an hour: “You are puppets of Bush!”, “You are puppets of NATO”, “You support terrorists!”, “No to destructors of socialistic system!” Riot militiamen made no secret the Arabs were hired for provocation, but the people didn’t yield to it.