Pro-EU Protests
October 15, 2007
The march had been originally planned jointly by the EU and the Belarusian government as a first step towards improving relations by getting Lukashenko to agree to a public demonstration in support of European values, German news service DPA reported.
"We have staged this march for the benefit of a free Belarus, to say that we are moving towards Europe," opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich said, before making it clear that the march was also meant as a protest against the regime.
"We want to live by the laws of Europe, not by the laws of dictatorship," he said.
Low turnout
Some 5,000 to 6,000 people showed up to join the "European March" in the country's capital, Minsk -- a much smaller number than the 10,000 to 30,000 that had been expected to join.
While anti-riot police lined the streets and some 500 opposition activists had been arrested or otherwise placed under police control, according to reports, the demonstration remained peaceful.
Vow to continue with protests
Some 3,000 people defied a ban to march to the approved gathering point near the Academy of Sciences. The police warned demonstrators that they were breaking the law, but did not stop them, according to AP news service.
Milinkevich meanwhile said that the demonstrations would continue.
"I am asked how many times we must demonstrate," he said. "We will demonstrate as long as we are not winning and as long as our people are not free."
Lukashenko, described by some as "the last dictator in Europe," has been in power since 1994. He was re-elected last year.