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A30 world news
Dialuna 2 november 2020

Thousands protest in Belarus amid continued crackdown

Police detained over 250 peo- at the helm of the opposi-
ple in Minsk and other Be- tion’s Coordination Council,
larusian cities where protests which was formed to push
were held Sunday, according for a transition of power, have
to the Viasna center. Several either been jailed or left the
journalists were among the country. One more activist
detainees, and many of those on the Council, Denis Gotto,
detained were beaten up, hu- was detained during Sunday's
man rights activists said. demonstration.
“The authorities are trying to
close the lid on the boiling Lukashenko scoffed at sug-
Belarusian pot more tightly, gestions of dialogue with the
but history knows very well opposition and instead inten-
what this leads to,” Viasna sified the crackdown on pro-
leader Ales Bialiatski said. testers, ordering officials to
(AP) — Thousands of memory (lasts) longer than er cities almost daily, despite expel students from universi-
protesters in Belarus a life of a dictatorship” and police countering the dem- Tsikhanouskaya entered the ties for participating in dem-
swarmed the streets of the “Stop torturing your people!” onstrations with water can- presidential race instead of onstrations and to take action
capital to demand the res- nons, stun grenades, rubber her husband, a popular op- against plant workers that go
ignation of the country's The crowds directed chants bullets and mass detentions. position blogger, after he was on strike.
longtime president for the of “Go away!" at Belarusian jailed in May. She challenged
13th straight Sunday and President Alexander Lu- The Belarusian Interior Min- the results of the election in On Thursday, the govern-
encountered police using kashenko, who won his sixth istry threatened to use fire- which she secured 10% of the ment shut Belarus’ borders
stun grenades to break up term in an Aug. 9 election arms against the rally-goers vote to the incumbent presi- with Latvia, Lithuania, Po-
the crowds and making that is widely seen as rigged. “if need be." On Sunday, dent's 80%, then left Belarus land and Ukraine. They said
warning shots in the air Lukashenko's crushing vic- police acknowledged officers for Lithuania under pressure the move was intended to
from what authorities said tory over his popular, inex- fired several warning shots from the authorities. stem the spread of the coro-
were “non-lethal weap- perienced challenger, Svi- into the air during the dem- She issued a statement Sun- navirus, although officials
ons.” atlana Tsikhanouskaya, has onstration in Minsk “to pre- day in support of the ongoing previously accused neighbor-
triggered the largest and the vent violations of the law," protests. ing countries of trying to de-
As many as 20,000 people most sustained wave of mass but maintained that “non- “The terror is happening stabilize Belarus.
took part in the rally, the protests of his 26 years in lethal weapons” were used. once again in our country
Visana human rights center power. right now,” Tsikhanouskaya Starting Sunday, all foreign-
estimated. Large crowds of Armored off-road vehicles said. “We haven't forgot- ers — with the exception of
people gathered in the east- The 66-year-old former state equipped with machine guns ten our past, we won't for- diplomats, government of-
ern part of Minsk headed to- farm director, who was once were seen in Minsk for the get what is happening now.” ficials, individuals with per-
ward Kurapaty, a wooded area nicknamed “Europe's Lat- first time in almost three Over 15,000 people have mits to work in Belarus and
on the city's outskirts where est Dictator,” has relentlessly months of protests, along been detained since the pres- people in some other narrow
over 200,000 people were ex- suppressed opposition and with water cannon vehicles idential election, and human categories — were banned
ecuted by Soviet secret police independent media in Belar- and other anti-riot equip- rights activists have declared from crossing the country's
during Stalinist-era purges. us but struggled to quell the ment. Several metro stations more than 100 of them to be land borders. Foreigners,
recent unrest. Large protest were closed, and mobile in- political prisoners. however, are allowed to trav-
Demonstrators carried ban- crowds have assembled in ternet service did not work. el into Belarus via the Minsk
ners reading, “The people's the streets of Minsk and oth- All prominent members National Airport.

Sword-wielding man arrested after Halloween deaths in Quebec

(AP) — A man dressed have been revealed in a medi- taken to a hospital. “Some a night of horror. Words fail 31st. It’s Halloween, and it’s a
in medieval clothing and cal context over five years ago. have very significant lacera- me to describe such a tragedy. lockdown weekend. No one
armed with a Japanese It was not something that was tions but we do not fear for I offer my condolences to the should be out on the streets,”
sword was arrested Sun- in a criminal record,” Pigeon their lives,” Pigeon said. families of the victims,” Que- Godoy said. “And I’m in an
day on suspicion of killing said. bec Premier Francois Legault extremely quiet neighbor-
two people and injuring Quebec City Mayor Regis Steve Jolicoeur, a freelance tweeted. hood because there are no
five others on Halloween Labeaume said Canada needs photographer, said the de- Carlos Godoy, who lives in tourists nowadays.”
near the historic Château to have a debate about how to ceased male had his throat the area, said police K-9 units The area around the Cha-
Frontenac hotel in Que- deal with mental illness. slit. had searched his backyard as teau Frontenac, the towering
bec City. Jolicoeur said another per- they hunted for the suspect. landmark of the walled old
Labeaume said the attack has son was cut on the shoulder city, is usually bustling with
Quebec police said their ini- shaken the city, which is still while another was cut on the “It’s a full moon, it’s October tourists in normal times.
tial information indicates the recovering from a shooting at head and hand.
suspect's motive was personal a local mosque in 2017 that
and not terrorism. “Last night killed six. Police had earlier He also witnessed the arrest
we were thrust into a night of warned residents to remain of the suspect, who threw his
horror when a 24-year-old indoors as they hunted for sword in the air.
man who does not live in the man in the costume with “He seemed confused,”
Quebec City came here with a bladed weapon. They later he said. “He was in black
the clear intention of taking described the weapon as a clothes, like a ninja.”
as many victims as possible,” katana. Police were first noti- Police were searching his car
Quebec Police Chief Robert fied of the stabbings near the and residence. He was due to
Pigeon said. National Assembly shortly make a video court appear-
before 10:30 p.m. Saturday. ance later Sunday
Pigeon said the suspect, who
was from the Montreal area, Police said 56-year-old Fran- Police have asked any po-
made a threat of violence in cois Duchesne and 61-year- tential witnesses to contact
2014. old Suzanne Clermont died. them.
“That information would The five injured victims were “Quebec is waking up after