Alyaksandr Frantskevich: Only active protect could be response to government’s actions

Belarusians should respond to crackdown by protests.

It is not enough to cover acts of violence by police in mass media. An active protest whenever is possible is necessary. Such an opinion has been expressed to charter97.org website by a former political prisoner, an activist of anarchist movement of Belarus Alyaksandr Frantskevich, who commented on the brutal crackdown by policemen on a rock concert in Zyalyonae near Minsk.

On August 1 police thwarted a punk concert held in the forest near Zyalyonae station, not far from Minsk. About 50 listeners were detained and taken to Zhdanovichy police department of Minsk district executive committee. As said by eyewitnesses, many detainees were cruelly beaten up in paddy wagons.

“I think that the authorities have set their mind on suppressing and eradicating any active youth in Belarus in the run-up to the elections. As it is known, initially the anarchist movement in Belarus emerged from the punk scene, so until now policemen and the KGB view punk events as potential “extremists”, and they can go too far in their methods of stamping out dissent.

The fact that the guys were released, demonstrates that the authorities are not yet ready to cross the line in these desires in the run-up to the “elections”. But it seems to me that if we are going to continue tolerating such manifestations of violence and would not answer with protests and resistance, the situation is going to deteriorate.

It is not enough to cover the situation – real actions in the streets, at working places, everywhere we could stir protest sentiments, are necessary,” Alyaksandr Frantskevich noted.

We remind that the majority of the detainees were released after reports on committing administrative offences, were drawn up, or without such reports. 5 persons remained in the police department during the weekend, they were charged under 3 Article of the Administrative Code: participation in an unsanctioned event, being drunk and disorderly, and resistance to law enforcers. As of today, everyone has been released.