Protesting ‘Vote-Rigging,‘ Belarus Rioters Try to Storm Gov’t Building
- Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:46pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Thousands of opposition supporters in Belarus tried to storm the main government building to protest what they claim was large-scale vote-rigging in Sunday’s presidential election, but they were driven back and beaten by riot police.
Dozens of protesters were injured in clashes with the police, left bruised and bloody after being beaten with clubs. An Associated Press reporter at the scene also was struck on the head, back and arm.
Up to 40,000 opposition activists rallied in central Minsk to call for longtime authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko to step down. It was the largest opposition rally since mass street protests against Lukashenko in 1996.
Protesters broke windows and glass doors, but were pushed back by riot police waiting inside the building, which also houses the Central Election Commission. Hundreds more riot police and Interior Ministry troops then arrived in trucks and sent most of the demonstrators fleeing. Some tried to hide in the courtyards of nearby apartment buildings, but were bludgeoned by troops waiting inside the courtyards.
By late Sunday, troops had surrounded about 2,000 protesters remaining on Independence Square.
Few had expected tens of thousands to join the election-night protest, which Lukashenko had made clear would be dispersed by force. The question remained of whether the opposition had the momentum to maintain pressure on Lukashenko or whether Sunday‘s violence would effectively put an end to the opposition’s hopes.
“We had a peaceful protest and it is the authorities who used forced,” said Marat Titovets, a 40-year-old engineeer. “After Lukashenko spilled blood, he cannot remain in power.”
Leading opposition candidate Vladimir Neklyayev was beaten by riot police while leading a few hundred of his supporters to the demonstration and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, according to his wife. His left eye was bruised, his nose was bleeding and he was nauseous and unable to speak, Olga Neklyayeva told the Associated Press.
After the polls closed, thousands of opposition activists converged as planned on October Square, but most of the square had been flooded to make an ice skating rink and pop music boomed from loudspeakers.
The protesters then set off along the main avenue toward Independence Square, where the main government building is located.
The demonstrators shouted “leave” to Lukashenko, who has led Belarus since 1994 in a heavy-handed regime that is often characterized as the last dictatorship in Europe.
“Belarusians have shown that they want freedom and cannot tolerate the current regime,” opposition leader Yaroslav Romanchuk said.
Russia and the European Union are closely monitoring the election, having offered major economic inducements to tilt Belarus in their direction.
Signs that Lukashenko is leaning toward the West would be a moral victory for countries that have long criticized his harsh rule and worried about his connections with vehemently anti-West regimes. For Russia, a return to the fold would bolster Moscow’s desire to remain the power-broker in former Soviet regions.
In casting his ballot, Lukashenko expressed confidence that he would win a fourth term. He denounced the planned opposition rally as being led by “bandits and saboteurs” and proclaimed that it would not take place.
“Don’t worry, nobody is going to be on the square tonight,” Lukashenko said while voting with his 6-year-old son, Kolya.
But tens of thousands turned out.
“How can we counter a dictator who created a police state in the past 16 years?” said 21-year-old student Artur Makayonak, who was among the activists heading to the square. “Only our protests, our strive for freedom and a peaceful rally.”
Opposition candidates and rights activists said five senior campaign workers and 27 opposition activists have been detained since Saturday. Police refused to comment.
Neklyayev had condemned the detentions.
“When the representatives of one of the candidates get arrested on the orders of another candidate, that cannot be called an election,” he said.
Police spokesman Konstantin Shalkevich said Neklyayev was injured during a standoff between unarmed police and aggressive demonstrators. His wife said smoke bombs and firecrackers were tossed at Neklyayev’s column of supporters, and then police threw themselves at her husband and began to beat him.
Nearly a quarter of the 7 million registered voters went to the polls in five days of early voting last week, according to the Central Election Commission. The opposition and election observers say early voting allows for ballot stuffing as boxes are poorly guarded and voting precincts are poorly monitored.
Lukashenko, a 56-year-old former collective firm manager, maintains a quasi-Soviet state in the country of 10 million, allowing no independent broadcast media, stifling dissent and keeping about 80 percent of the industry under state control.
Although once seen as almost a lapdog of Russia, Lukashenko in recent years has quarreled intensively with the Kremlin as Russia raised prices for the below-market gas and oil on which Belarus’ economy depends.
However, his tone changed this month after Russia agreed to drop tariffs for oil exported to Belarus – a concession worth an estimated $4 billion a year.
But Lukashenko also is working to curry favor with the West, which has harshly criticized his years of human rights abuses and repressive politics. Last week, he called for improved ties with the U.S., which in previous years he had cast as an enemy.
The European Union, eager to see reforms in the obstreperous country on its borders, has offered euro3 billion ($3.9 billion) in aid to Belarus if the elections are judged to be free and fair. The prospects of such a judgment and payout seem remote, however, analysts said.
Lukashenko faced nine other candidates, who were uncharacteristically allotted time for debates on state TV and radio and whose campaign rallies have met less official obstruction than in previous elections.
A candidate needs to get half the total votes in order to win in the first round; the large number of challengers appears to make that unachievable for any of them, but a combined strong performance could deny Lukashenko an outright victory. The opposition claims that a first-round victory for the president could only come through fraud.
Some voters who cast their ballots in -8 C (17 F) degree temperatures in Minsk said they favored Lukashenko in order to preserve stability.
“Only Lukashenko promises stability and calm. We don’t need upheavals,” said Zinaida Pulshitskaya, 62, a retired teacher.
—
Jim Heintz and Maria Danilova contributed to this report.
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Comments (49)
sdparker
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 6:09pmRemember this every time the subject of gun removal from U.S. citizens comes up. American politicians still have something to fear from the public, until they disarm it. Once disarmed, politicians will practice the same political stunts as this story exhibits.
Report Post »knuckle dragger
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 9:50amFirst off…It looks like the opposin’ party commie fightin’ against the house commies.
Report Post »Secondly…This will only happen here if you let the House party! (get it! house…party! Dang I make me laugh!)
Drive us to this.
Rember these werds’
“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear… That old law about “an eye for an eye” leaves everybody blind… The time is always right to do the right thing… Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.
~Dr. Martin Luther King~
lobster
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 8:30amAs far as that certificate his Grandparents told the papers, no big deal. In 1936 you could do that and for sure in ‘61 you could even easier. The man is a total fraud..
Report Post »scguitar
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 2:24amOh my God. Another country gone into anarchy? When will it end. I’m starting to get very concerned here (more than I was before)
Report Post »olikikflip
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 1:57amUNBELIEVEABLE!!!
Has Beck been warning us about this for some time now? I may be wrong, but Did not CBS call Beck a Fear Monger for teaching this to us???
The vid is from CBS, but trust me… watch it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7166293n&tag=contentMain;contentBody
Report Post »Glenn is my hero
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 1:17amBet Obummer can’t wait til this happens here! I’m sure there will be voter fraud on a massive scale in 2012. The one world order is coming! Be ready and get right with God before it is too late.
Report Post »Uncle Sambo
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 7:36amIt is already too late. There is no way to avert another civil war and total anarchy. But you can take great comfort in knowing, that those useless sacks of sh_t, who hate our freedom and liberty, will soon fall by the swords of their own making. After many years of violence this land will be finally cleansed of Godless Communists, Socialists, State Capitalists, National Socialists, Globalists, Democrats, RINOs, Progressives and Liberals.
It is too bad that the sheep got comfortable taking crap from the wicked. It really is a shame that things have become as bad as they are. Everything looks lost but it isn’t. After her judgment America will be restored again to her divine providence and promise.
Report Post »spreadcommonsensenot pc
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 12:40amWhere is the weiner when you need him
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 12:21amOh please.
Report Post »The closest this country will ever come to a riot like this would be if Carrie Prejon beat Perez Hilton on dancing with the stars.
Voronin
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 12:11amBelarus is an authoritarian party-state. I personally know a national who needed to escape to get to the US.
Report Post »gibby45
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:59pmDidn’t Jimmy Carter count the votes?
Report Post »southernloyalty
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:19pmThe guy is a Bolshevik, and the fact that he had Russian police imported there for riot control prior to the election is a dead giveaway that the election was rigged. I find it kind of ironic that Lukashenko is also the richest guy in Belarus. Go figure right.
Report Post »IAMINFIDEL
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:18pmAnarcho-Capitalism is the final goal of a truly free humanity. We are witness to history because our eyes are open. Teach your children about freedom. Hold fast the desire to live free as all humans are born to live. We will not see it in our day but a well nurtured mustard seed will blossom into a mighty tree!
Report Post »spikebu
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:37pmWell said!
Report Post »Modawg734Blue
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:53pmWait a minute, don’t they claim socialism is about helping the common people achieve equality and justice. I guess it is only if the sheep don’t say or do anything that contridicts the socialist dictators agenda.
Report Post »badswing
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:44pm“But Lukashenko also is working to curry favor with the West, which has harshly criticized his years of human rights abuses and repressive politics. Last week, he called for improved ties with the U.S., which in previous years he had cast as an enemy .” now i wonder why he all of a sudden wants to improve ties with the US? because he sees a new ideaology coming from our white house that is in total sync with his
Report Post »missmarie
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:59pm“Lukashenko, a 56-year-old former collective firm manager, maintains a quasi-Soviet state in the country of 10 million, allowing no independent broadcast media, stifling dissent and keeping about 80 percent of the industry under state control.”
Yes, this does sound like where we’re headed.
Report Post »MGB-CPA
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:40pmPay attention: If possible, find a way to grow you own food. If not, can food and store it. Team up with family and look for ways to become self sufficient, not depending on the government, the dollar, or anything else. Best wishes.
Report Post »stopspendingourmoney
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:50pmyes I agree with MGB-CPA, prepair be ready if the dollar fails and the country gets bad, the crazy one world nut bags will come in and say that is what we need, a one world order, so we can fix this mess give us the power..that will be how we will lose the freedoms of this great nation, we can never let this happen..we need to get rid of anyone in our nations politics that talkes of a new world order they are America’s enemies…
Report Post »JohnnyJT
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:31pmThe DemonCrats do that here at every election.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:52pmI know in Chicago they do..
Report Post »neverending
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:31pmIf we continue down the road we are on now – we can look for similar in Nov 2012. Pretty frightening.
Report Post »Diamond Girl
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 12:36amHear! Hear!
I send my prayers for those in Belarus tonight…we may have to do the same here if the time comes.
Report Post »SilentReader
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:27pmThis is a glaring example of what America will look like unless we get rid of this unknown dictator in the White House who received monies from the Gaza strip on prepaid cards in his first campaign for the highest office in the land where he never even produced his long-form birth certificate to the American people and got away with it.
Obama has spent 1.7 million to NOT show us his birth certificate. What is he hiding? Where I live you have to show your Birth Certificate or your Alien Registration Card (green card) to renew your license and get a job! What he put on that factcheck website, owned by the Annenberg Foundation on whose board he sat with terrorist Bill Ayers, was a digitized Certificate of Live Birth which is NOT a valid birth certificate.
There are even questions about how he paid for his Harvard education! And, he was disbarred from being a lawyer! Neither one of them are allowed to practice law now.
Yet, he sits in the Oval Office marching us down the road to big government and tyranny!
We will look on this Presidency as the worst in our lifetime and we don’t trust the MSM to report the truth anymore.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this Wikileak crap was orchestrated by this government. They’re a bunch of frauds who believe in power. Their power over us.
I can’t wait for this nightmare to be over!
Report Post »TulsaYeeHaw
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:36pmWikileaks IS an orchestration. Top down, bottom up, just like Czechoslavakia, and others. Obama profits handsomely when people bring up his birth certificate. Were the 2 announcements about the birth of baby Barry Obama in the Honolulu newspapers fake? It is a lost cause, that argument. Please let it go.
The other stuff you mentioned is……..well, I don’t disagree.
Report Post »spreadcommonsensenot pc
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:21pmboth (r’s) and (d’s) PROGRESSIVES———not the scumbag progressives—get involved…
Report Post »spreadcommonsensenot pc
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:15pmITS coming—the American people dont know that the “computer voting machines” were made in VENZ(hugo chavez) and OK’d by the US govt………We need to be prepared…………….
Report Post »Soros said himself——–“its not who votes”—-BUT who counts the votes”——-It will be BOTH (r’s) (d’s)
PROGRESSIVES—GET INVOLVED—-anyone in your precinct who you suspect—-take them to the woodshed —————DONT trust the authorities—–espcially when they are corrupt tooooooo
spooky effin time………………………..think outside the box–the corrupt do……………………
TulsaYeeHaw
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:32pmActually, one of Soros’ heroes said that about the vote counting. That man’s name was Josef Stalin.
Report Post »joan k
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 1:38amAnyone who believes this cannot happen here is DELUSIONAL. I just finished the book The Majesty of God’s Laws by Skousen. I would suggest you get a hold of your own copy. You will need this for the next stage of our country. I believe Beck has already read this book and is using it in his broadcast. There is a reason why he suggests we go back to being a virtuous people. We need to be ready to be able to help others into the boat. READ this book and it is the guidance for that journey.
We are going back into bondage… whether we like it or not.. BE PREPARED to help yourself and others back to freedom.
Report Post »jds7171
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:10pmYour protest ends being peaceful when you start destroying property. It is coming here though. The fcc trying to monitor news outlets, goverment owning industrys.
Report Post »jimdevy
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 3:41amGood point on that one. Some people seem to have a twisted sense of what “peaceful protest” means. If somebody “peacefully protested” my front window with a brick, I’d be “peacefully protesting” that brick with a shot-gun.
Report Post »Nvrforget
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 7:07amIf the vote is rigged, the time for peaceful protests is pretty much over. That’s what the second amendment is for.
Report Post »RobertCA
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:06pmA communist & a dictator accused of voting fraud ????????????????????? NAHHHHHHHHHHHH
Report Post »JESUS-IS-LORD
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 11:33amDo Americans actually believe those votes you made at an election for president make a difference and are accounted for? Does anyone remember how GB got a second term?
Report Post »Ponder on it for a while.
Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:05pmWhat happens in Vegas. . .
Report Post »Republic
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:14pmAfter Harry was re-elected, honestly or not, I canceled my vacation plans to Vegas. I say, “let Nevada rot” with their poor choices.
Report Post »jbl8199
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 4:46amExactly. What I‘m wondering is why Nevada didn’t have a recount due to all the problems with the voting machines during the election??? And did you notice, the media pretty much stayed away from that story. I still say that one was rigged. That’s the only reason I could see for Reid to get reelected.
Report Post »Sgt.Crust
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 9:43amthe vote was rigged in NV
Report Post »FreeToBe
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:58pmSoon to be the USA if we don’t get this mess of ours under control
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:46pmThis should have happened in Nevada after the last election!!!!
Report Post »No way Dirty Harry won fair and square!!!
BurntHills
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:57pmlet’s hope der fuhrer obama never wins a rigged 2012 election. it can get a lot worse than anyone has ever seen here.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 11:36pmYet another example of life in a country where the government is corrupt and out of control. Heres hoping it never happens here…..but be prepared if it does.
Report Post »Cobra Blue
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 6:45amWell one thing is for certain…if there is a rigged election the people will talk them to death….Yea! That will show’em.
Report Post »guyperram
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 7:44amJust look at what fun the marxists in our government are bringing to us. Folks, this is us in two years, if we get that far.
Report Post »Look at Nevada, Alaska, Minnesota (Franken) and just think about how close they are, and how they won.
Remember, the real power is with the people that count the votes.
Sgt.Crust
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 8:53amOh joy to the world! thugs on both sides! i just hope it does not happen here someday!
Our govt is corrupt, our politicians are marianated in greed, our leaders giddy with power, don’t listen to us anymore. they pass laws that nobody wants, they strip us of our freedoms every day in doing so.
if we make it to 2012 intact as a nation, then we MUST vote out the rest of the progressive liberals and rinos, this is our priority! we have much work to do to organize for this next cycle of elections, and to fail to do so, will mean our complete and utter demise as a vibrant free Republic. stand up and be counted my friends, my compatriots, my fellow Americans! we enter a volatile time but we must hold our anger, stuff it in the bottom of your toes, and as always have restraint, no viloence should be started by any side. we have to live by the RULE OF LAW at all times, or else we are no better than the jackals and wild animals. I feel I am the resident kook you refer to here but I don’t really care, i am willing and able to take the heat for my words, but I mean no harm to anyone, not even our brothers and sisters on the left! sometimes I curse, belittle and rant, something that does make me look bad in your eyes, for that I am sorry. I just get caught up in the moment, there have been SO MANY of them recently, as everywhere I turn there is another problem. We ALL have a hand in our country’s woes, so let’s all have a hand in its salvation, we need to stand tall and together to rebuild the land of the free and home of the brave, without vitriol or violence, but as brothers and sisters of an extended family! E Pluribus Unum!
In God We Trust
Report Post »sanchiro
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 9:20amWhat’s happening there will most certainly happen here in the form of a full blown juvenile democratic party temper tantrum, when more of Obummer’s failed policies implode.
Report Post »Derfel Cadarn
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 10:39amLet me first that I detest obama but why would a fixed election be a problem now ,W has already been there done that.
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