In Minsk, on July 15 on the ground near the National Library of Belarus, "Hisrorica" youth association planned to hold "Pillow fight" pacifist action, dedicated to 600th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald. The event was not allowed by the city authorities. The police detained about 70 members of pillow fight for violation of public order.
About 19:00, near the National Library, the police began to detain all the people with pillows. People with big bags, backpacks and bags were also stopped and searched. Police officers withdrew found pillows and took actions to calm down the displeasured.
About 40 people were blocked by police at the exit of metro station to prevent their participation in unsanctioned rally. Those, who had come a little earlier, were ordered to disperse, warning that the gathering near Vostok metro station was prohibited. Those, who did not react the order of police officers were detained. Just before the battle, the police arrested and loaded into a bus about 15 people, Ezhednevnik informs.
Nevertheless, the really took place, though not near the library but at a little distance, on surrounding meadows. According to preliminary data, the pillow fight was attended by about 400 people. The police detained many of them after the fight for violating public order. Among them there was one of direct organizers of the rally, former political prisoner, Andrei Kim. The detainees were taken away in buses to Pervomaisky police department of Minsk. You can see the photos from the pillow fight at Telegraph.
As Telegraf previously reported, Minsk City Executive Committee refused «Historica» organization to carry out a pillow fight dated for the 600 anniversary of the battle of Grunwald.
Firstly, the representatives of the culture department of Minsk City Executive Committee and of the Ministry of Culture positively estimated the idea of the pillow fight holding. However, after that they stated that «since the application of «Historica» to hold mass rally doesn’t correspond to the requirements of part 5, art. 5 of the law «On mass actions», Minsk City Executive Committee disallows the action holding on the ground near the building of National Library».
