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Tens of thousands of people march through streets of Minsk in Belarus in latest protest against re-election of president Alexander Lukashenko as they defy police threats to open fire

Thousands of protesters descended onto the streets of the Belarusian capital today to demand the resignation of their leader of 26 years President Alexander Lukashenko.

Crowds of demonstrators gathered at an industrial neighbourhood in southeast Minsk for a march along Partisan Prospect, a key transport artery and home to a number of factories, despite a threat by officials to use firearms against protesters. 

Belarus, a former Soviet republic closely allied with Russia, has been rocked by strikes and weekly street protests since authorities announced that Lukashenko, who has ruled in authoritarian fashion since 1994, had secured re-election on August 9 with 80 per cent of votes.

Earlier today, some protesters chanted 'strike!' and 'you and your riot police get out!' while others carried the historical white and red flag of Belarus as they walked defiantly through the streets.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Belarusian capital today in the latest march against the results of the latest election

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Belarusian capital today in the latest march against the results of the latest election

People gathered  at an industrial neighbourhood in southeast Minsk before marching along Partisan Prospect-  a key transport artery and home to a number of factories

People gathered  at an industrial neighbourhood in southeast Minsk before marching along Partisan Prospect-  a key transport artery and home to a number of factories

Protesters wear face masks as they march through the streets of the Belarusian capitial and call for the resignation of their leader President Alexander Lukashenko

Protesters wear face masks as they march through the streets of the Belarusian capitial and call for the resignation of their leader President Alexander Lukashenko

Belarusian interior ministry spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova later said more than 100 people had been detained in Minsk during the latest protest. 

Security forces have detained more than 13,000 people since the election, including all significant opposition leaders who have not left the country, and clamped down on independent media. 

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has fled to Lithuania, last week urged Lukashenko to quit by October 25 or face what she said would be nationwide strikes that would paralyse Belarus. 

Protesters took to the streets despite threats by police this week to use lethal force from now on 'if necessary'.

Protester Anzhela Krasovskaya said: 'There's no way back for us. If they start shooting then there would be even more people in the streets.'   

Meanwhile pensioner Maria Petrovich said demonstrations would continue until Lukashenko quits.

She added: 'The level of violence perpetrated by the authorities is unprecedented.'

Ahead of Sunday's protest, Tikhanovskaya, who was granted shelter in EU member Lithuania after the vote, urged Belarusians to press ahead with their demands.

She said: 'We will stop only when every political prisoner walks free, when members of law enforcement begin to defend the people, and rule of law and honest elections return to Belarus.'

Thousands of protesters march through the street with flags after Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation since 1994, secured re-election on August 9 with 80 per cent of votes

Thousands of protesters march through the street with flags after Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation since 1994, secured re-election on August 9 with 80 per cent of votes

A group of police officers wear protective gear and carry shields as they block the area as they watch protesters take to the streets

A group of police officers wear protective gear and carry shields as they block the area as they watch protesters take to the streets

Law enforcement officers wearing helmets and carrying batons detain a person participating in the rally on Sunday

Law enforcement officers wearing helmets and carrying batons detain a person participating in the rally on Sunday 

Belarusian opposition supporters walk through the streets on Minsk and call for the resignation of their leader of 26 years

Belarusian opposition supporters walk through the streets on Minsk and call for the resignation of their leader of 26 years

A group of protesters walk arm-in-warm and wear face coverings as they protest against re-election of president Alexander Lukashenko

A group of protesters walk arm-in-warm and wear face coverings as they protest against re-election of president Alexander Lukashenko

A protester holds a sign reading 'Stop raping Belarus' as she takes part in the latest opposition rally on Sunday

A protester holds a sign reading 'Stop raping Belarus' as she takes part in the latest opposition rally on Sunday 

Masses of people take to the streets on Sunday calling for the nation's leader, who has ruled in authoritarian fashion since 1994, to resign

Masses of people take to the streets on Sunday calling for the nation's leader, who has ruled in authoritarian fashion since 1994, to resign

A group of women walk through the Belarus capital carrying flags and flowers as they protest the results of the latest election

A group of women walk through the Belarus capital carrying flags and flowers as they protest the results of the latest election

Police officers detain a man during the opposition rally as thousands take to the streets of the Belarus capital and defy police threats

Police officers detain a man during the opposition rally as thousands take to the streets of the Belarus capital and defy police threats

On Sunday,  Belarusian authorities deployed military trucks and phone networks were heavily disrupted, with local operator MTS Belarus confirming it had been ordered to limit access to 'ensure national security'.  

The Nexta Live channel on social-media platform Telegram, which has coordinated protesters, urged Belarusians to express solidarity with workers during the protest, dubbed the 'March of Partisans'.

'We, descendants of glorious warriors and partisans, are worthy of our forefathers who already defeated fascism once,' the channel said in a message to its more than two million subscribers. 

During the Second World War, Nazi-occupied Belarus had Europe's largest partisan movement.

The protest movement has kept up a series of large-scale demonstrations for the past two months, with 100,000 people or more taking to the streets every Sunday.

Tikhanovskaya, who maintains she won the August polls, says Lukashenko must release political prisoners and halt 'state terror'.

Several people have died and thousands have been arrested in a post-election crackdown, with harrowing accounts emerging of abuse in jails. Many said they had been tortured, beaten and humiliated in detention.

Police have acknowledged using water cannon and stun grenades against demonstrators but the use of live ammunition would mark a major escalation in the two-month standoff.

Ahead of Sunday's march Ivan Tertel, head of the KGB security service, said provocations were being prepared to 'destabilise the situation in our country'.

Thousand of protesters flood the streets of Minsk on Sunday despite a threat by officials to use firearms against protesters

Thousand of protesters flood the streets of Minsk on Sunday despite a threat by officials to use firearms against protesters

A group of people with old Belarusian national flags take to the streets during an opposition rally calling for the resignation of the president

A group of people with old Belarusian national flags take to the streets during an opposition rally calling for the resignation of the president 

One demonstrator carries a white-red-white flag of Belarus as they take part on a protest against the latest election results

One demonstrator carries a white-red-white flag of Belarus as they take part on a protest against the latest election results 

A law enforcement officer wearing protective clothing chases after a man during the opposition rally in Minsk today. Protesters took to the streets despite threats by police to use lethal force from now on 'if necessary'

A law enforcement officer wearing protective clothing chases after a man during the opposition rally in Minsk today. Protesters took to the streets despite threats by police to use lethal force from now on 'if necessary'

Thousands march through the capital as opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya calls for Lukashenko to quit by October 25

Thousands march through the capital as opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya calls for Lukashenko to quit by October 25 

He did not say who was behind the alleged plot but said the organisers and their 'foreign-based supervisors' planned to criticise law enforcement for tackling the provocations.

Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, has refused to step down and has secured backing from Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

The European Union has refused to recognise the results of the disputed vote. Last week EU foreign ministers agreed to impose sanctions on Lukashenko as the bloc seeks to step up pressure over the crackdown on protesters.

A Norwegian MP said on Sunday he had nominated Tikhanovskaya and two other top members of the Belarus opposition for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for organising the peaceful protests.

Geir Toskedal, of the Christian Democratic Party, told the Vart Land daily he had nominated Tikhanovskaya, Maria Kolesnikova and Veronika Tsepkalo 'for their struggle for fair elections and for inspiring peaceful opposition against the illegitimate regime in Belarus'.

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