Friday, August 14, 2020

Belarus riot police drop shields and are embraced by anti-government protesters


https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/14/europe/belarus-protests-riot-police-intl/index.html

 

By Mary Ilyushina, Frederik Pleitgen and Claudia Otto, CNN

Updated 12:45 PM ET, Fri August 14, 2020

At least 50 Belarus security personnel in riot gear dropped their shields and were embraced by anti-government protesters in Minsk, as demonstrators chanted "brothers" at the police.

The scene unfolded in front of several government buildings in the of the capital. Protesters also shouted, "Sveta -- President," referring to opposition politician Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who says she won the majority in Sunday's highly contested presidential election. 
 
Belarus authorities say longtime President Alexander Lukashenko won 80.1% of the vote, in a poll which many believe was rigged.
 
A crowd estimated by CNN's team in Minsk to be tens of thousands of people marched through the capital on Friday in revolt against the strongman leader Lukashenko, who has ruled the country for 26 years.


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