English

Freedom Day demonstration participants invited to display Ukrainian flags

People planning to take part in a "Dzen Voli" (Freedom Day) demonstration in Minsk on March 25 are invited to bring along Belarus' historically national white-red-white flags and Ukraine's state flags, Alyaksey Yanukevich, leader of the Belarusian Popular Front, told reporters in Minsk on Friday.

"A key theme of the event is solidarity with Ukraine," he said. "We will hand out ribbons in the colors of the Ukrainian flag and Belarus' historically national white-red-white flag."

Participants are welcome to bring along signs related to the proclamation of the Belarusian National Republic and Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, said Mr. Yanukevich.

A resolution expressing solidarity with Ukraine is expected to be adopted at the demonstration, he said.

Maryna Khomich, leader of Belarusian Christian Democracy's youth wing called Young Christian Democrats, warned that only registered symbols may be displayed during the event. "We are calling for displaying Ukrainian flags as today they are greater anti-dictatorial symbols than party flags," she said.

The demonstration, which will mark 96 years since the proclamation of the 1918 Belarusian National Republic (BNR), will include a march and a rally.

Participants are expected to gather near the Kastrychnik movie theater at 6 p.m. and march along Independence Avenue and Surhanava Street to People's Friendship Park in Bangalore Square on the outskirts of Minsk where the rally is to be held between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The application for permission to stage the demonstration was signed by Mr. Yanukevich and Ms Khomich, as well as, Ales Lahvinets, deputy chairperson of the Movement for Freedom; and Anatol Sidarevich, a leader of the Hramada Belarusian Social Democratic Party.

The organizing committee for the event initially applied for permission to march along Independence Avenue and hold a rally in Independence Square, but the city government rejected that application.