Deputy Interior Minister of Belarus Oleg Pekarski said that "an arsenal" of things and devices for personal injury had been seized from protesters on 19 December. It was then taken into Government House by operatives. This statement was made by the representative of the Ministry of Interior Affaires on ONT TV channel.
Oleg Pekarsky enumerated some examples of such devices: rebar, which is «specially made in the form of short pins to beat on legs, so that a man could not stay on his feet;» magnets from the speakers with the weight of 300-400 grams, used «for bodily injury.» The Deputy Minister also mentioned Molotov cocktails, found among the things.
«According to the intelligence, one of the slogans of the protesters was setting some administrative buildings in fire,» he said.
Oleg Pekarski called these devices for personal injury as smoke bombs, an ax and a shovel.
«Police detained two minibuses. Unfortunately, the protesters did not understand that they were not allowed to bring things, causing injury, so they outfitted the other vehicle, also detained,» the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.
At this point, he says, the operational entities are inspecting the seized to make a legal evaluation of the case. Oleg Pekarsky also noted that the Government House needed immediate glazing.
«We do not exclude the possibility of freezing of the whole heating system. But, of course, moral damage, the fact that in Belarus tried to play out the scenario of Moldova, Ukraine and other countries, is the biggest loss,» he said.
According to Telegraf, about 30 thousand Belarusians held a demonstration on Independence Square in protest against the rigged presidential election on December 19. Young people came there with flowers in their hands.
However, some of the crowd smashed windows and doors in the Government House. Organizers of the rally called it a provocation and urged the protesters not to succumb to it. After the incident, riot police began to arrest people, beating them with batons and kicked. Many of them were heavily injured.
Seven candidates for presidency from the opposition and members of their staffs were arrested; offices and apartments of activists were searched. Belarusian and foreign journalists were also affected.
Detentions were continued during the opposition rally on Independence Square on December 20.
It is currently known about the detention of more than 700 people, including a pregnant woman. About 600 of them have already received court verdicts.
In addition, on Election Day of December 19, unknown people in black clothes attacked the co lumn of candidate Vladimir Niakliaeu at Nyamiha Street. The unknown «put» the demonstrators, moving towards Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk, down on the snow, took Aerophones out of a bus and then left in two cars. No one was detained. Presidential candidate Niakliaeu was beaten to unconsciousness during the capture. He was transported to the office and at night he was taken in a strange direction. Wife of Vladimir Niakliaeu Olga stated abduction of her husband. The politician and four other presidential candidates were kept in the KGB jail.
