Opposition activists in Brest distribute May Day bulletins, postcards

Opposition activists in Brest on May 1 gathered in a city park to distribute May Day bulletins and postcards.

The Brest City Executive Committee earlier banned local opposition activists from staging a march in the city center, citing Article 9 of the Mass Events Law that prohibits demonstrations within less than 50 meters from government buildings.

Some 300 bulletins and postcards were distributed, Ihar Maslowski, chairman of the regional organization of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada), told BelaPAN.

More than 50 opposition activists marched to May 1 Park through the city center from the office of the Hramada party’s regional organization. Among them were members of the Belarusian Party of Communists, the Belarusian Popular Front, the United Civic Party, the Trade Union of Electronic Industry Workers and the Free Trade Union. They were holding symbols of their organizations.

"The local authorities banned us from staging a May Day rally, but we found other ways of talking to local people a majority of whom support the idea of uniting efforts in fight for their social and economic rights," Mr. Maslowski said.

On May 2, local opposition activists planned to hold street ball and beach volleyball games to mark May Day.