Homel police demand that white-red-white flag be removed from electoral picket
On 1 February the civil campaign "Tell the Truth!" held a picket to collect signatures for nomination of its activists as candidates. All in all, “Tell the Truth!” in Homel supports 23 people who intend to run for the city and the regional councils. The picket was helded opposite the train station. The activists used the logos of “Tell the Truth!” “People's Referendum” and a white-red-white flag.
The police demanded that the flag be removed. However, the activists proved that white-red -white flag is not a prohibited symbol, and asked to provide a legal act by which the national flag is banned. Policemen got discouraged and left without giving any answer.
Meanwhile, civic activist Kanstantsin Zhukouski, using a megaphone, called the police who stood at a distance watching the picket, to give signatures for independent candidates. "Policemen! Look what your wages are and what are the wages of MPs! Put signatures for our candidates! Politically motivated surveillance is banned by the Constitution, what are you doing?" shamed the activist.
It should be noted, that people didn't put their signatures quite eagerly. Most of them passed the picket indifferently, just glancing with curiosity.