MINSK, September 13. /TASS/. Belarusian law enforcement agencies detained nearly 250 participants of a rally in Minsk on Sunday, the Interior Ministry’s official spokesperson, Olga Chemodanova, said on her Telegram channel.

"In various areas of the capital some 250 people were detained," the statement said. "All of them used flags and other symbolics, which had not been registered in accordance with the established procedure, and various posters, including insulting ones."

According to the Interior Ministry, as of 3 p.m. 17 hotbeds of protest activity were recorded in Belarus and the total number of participants did not exceed 3,000.

The law enforcement agencies warned protesters that they would face administrative responsibility for taking part in unauthorized events and criminal responsibility for organizing mass riots.

Mass protests have been held in Belarus since the August 9 presidential election. Incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko secured victory garnering 80.1% of the vote. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who was considered as his key rival, came in second with 10.12% of the vote. She did not recognize the results of the vote and took part in creating the opposition’s Coordination Council. In the first days, the rallies morphed into fierce clashes between the protesters and the law enforcement officers. The opposition is calling to continue protests while the authorities are demanding the end of illegal rallies.