Opposition activists detained for God Almighty hymn

The democratic community marks the anniversary of the opening of hostilities between the Slutsk regiments and the Red Army.

The application for a rally was filed by the BPF party. The rally was permitted by the authorities.

More than 40 Minsk activists, among them representatives of the European Belarus civil campaign the BPF party and the movement Razam, were going to Slutsk by bus. They stopped on the way to lay flowers in the village of Hrozava. The activists were singing the hymn “God Almighty” when police officers appeared and stopped the action. As charter97.org learnt, two participants of the event – Ales Makayeu and Illia Dabratvor – were detained for “giving explanations”. The rest activists continued their way to come to Slutsk on time. Their bus was stopped later. The police ordered them to return to Hrozava.

The activists were set free after they had explained to the policemen the rally had been authorised.

The rally was held at the Slutsk stadium. Local and Minsk activists and leaders of the BPF party addressed the participants.

The first clashes between the Slutsk regiments of the Belarusian People's Republic and the Red Army began on November 27, 1920. Belarusian patriots marks it as the Day of Heroes.

The termination of the war between Soviet Russia and Poland gave an opportunity to resume the struggle for Belarus's independence. Local government bodies were formed on the territories after the Polish troops withdrew, but the Bolsheviks didn't come yet. The Slutsk Rada (Council) was founded in November 1920. It declared the restoration of the Belarusian People's Republic and began to form military units consisting of local dwellers.

Battles between the squads, mostly consisting of peasants from the Slutsk district, and the Bolsheviks continued for a month. The situation changed only after a decision to send additional units of the Red Army from central Russia to the Belarusian front. The rebels had to retreat to western Belarus controlled by the Polish army.

The Slutsk Uprising became an example for other Belarusians. They continued guerrilla warfare against the Bolsheviks even after the Red Army occupied the territory of the Slutsk district.