Homel police refuse to guard Fair World’s picket

The Homel regional office of the United Party of the Left "Fair World" submitted to the city executive committee applications for three pickets (on 24, 25 and 26 September) expected to report on the party's ideas and discuss the socio-economic situation in Belarus.

According to a decision of the Homel City Executive Committee, prior to the mass event, its applicants are required to sign contracts with doctors, police and public utilities to service the event. Considering this, the chairman of the party’s regional office Uladzimir Siakerka lodged applications with the police, medical and public utilities departments.

The department of internal affairs issued a negative response, saying that it cannot enter into a contract due to the inability to provide in a given period the necessary number of employees of the bodies of internal affairs.

"The picket was announced to involve three people, and our police were unable for hour and a half to keep order and protect the three persons. For what do we pay taxes then?" says Mr. Siakerka.

On August 6, the activists of Fair World planned a similar rally in Homel. But the city authorities did not allow the mass event on the grounds that on the day the applied location outside the Apalec fo Culture of the Association of the Deaf "Vipra" was expected to host a rehearsal of the festival "Sozh Karahod."

At the time specified in the application of the Left as the beginning of the picket the plaza in front of the PC "Vipra" a dozen people appeared to be dancing under a blazing sun. But 15 minutes later the dancers moved to another place to continue their rehearsal.