MINSK, August 18. /TASS/. Minsk residents are gathering in the Independence Square for another protest Tuesday evening, as people carrying red and white flags are stretching along the Independence Avenue, supported by hooting from passing cars, TASS reports from the site.
There are now a few thousands of people in the square. They are chanting "Go away", which has become a tradition after the election. There are also screams of support for former Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.
Law enforcement officers are not stopping them, following the trend of the past few days.
Throughout the day, the situation in Minsk was largely calm. Residents formed ‘chains of solidarity’ only in a few places. However, there were no more than a few dozens of people there.
Belarus has been engulfed in mass protests since August 9 when the country held its presidential election, as people reject the official results of the vote, showing incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko securing his reelection. In the first days of unrest, the rallies were coupled with clashes between demonstrators and police officers. According to the national interior ministry, more than 6,000 people were detained, while dozens of police officers and protesters were wounded.
Official results of the Central Election Commission show incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko winning the election with 80.1% of the votes, while his main rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya came second with 10.12% The opposition rejected the results. On August 16, Minsk saw the largest protest rally against Lukashenko.