On April 2 in Minsk near October cinema where lots of city dwellers were at that moment, three activists of the civil campaign European Belarus raised a national flag at the second-storey platform of the building and unfurled a poster with the words No to Russian military bases! Young oppositionists chanted: ‘Russian soldier, go home!’, ‘No to union! Yes to freedom!’, ‘No to union with imperialistic Russia!’

The rally attracted attention of Minsk dwellers. Many onlookers pictured and videoed the event with mobile phones. One of the young people even took the white-red-white flag and took part in the rally. Some people supported the activists chanting: ‘Long live Belarus!’

‘The fact that Russian bases are deployed on the territory of our country, poses a direct threat to its independence. Moreover, a military bloc created in the framework of the Security Treaty Organization is an open opposition to other countries and military blocs, which is not in the interests of the Belarusian nation and violates article 18 of the Constitution of Belarus, according to which our country is a neutral state.

Today, on the so-called day of ‘unity’ with Russia, we state that Belarus must remain a neutral state. Foreign troops had never brought any good to our people,’ comments a participant of the protest, an activist of the civil campaign European Belarus Aliaksei Liaukovich.

During the protest police cars came to the cinema house three times, but none of the participants was detained.