Public Protests against Ruining of Historical Center of Hrodna Continue

At about 4 p.m. on 2 May the journalist of RFE/RL Mikhail Karnevich watched the confrontation of Hrodna officials and public activists, historians and youth who continued protesting against the demolition of the Old City.

The activists stopped the bulldozer in order to hinder the ruining the territory around a synagogue. At that time the city’s major Aliaksandr Antonenka arrived and tried to convince the protesters that the bulldozer won’t touch the synagogue and will only work with the hillside near the building. The activists didn’t believe him and remained on the bulldozer’s way. As a result the police detained 5 persons, including a well-known historian Ales Smalianchuk.

Mikhail Karnevich was shooting it with his camera, when the police approached him. They told him to show the camera and without his permission erased photos from it, thus violating article 39 of the law On press and other mass media which guarantees to journalists the right to presence and work at meetings, rallies and other events of public importance (including making photos).