Youth Flash Mobs on Rise Despite Repression

UNCLAS MINSK 000638

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI BO
SUBJECT: Youth Flash Mobs on Rise Despite Repression


Sensitive But Unclassified; Protect Accordingly.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Flash mobs have increasingly become one of the
principal methods of protest by anti-Lukashenko activists since the
March presidential elections. Consequently, Belarusian authorities
have steadily intensified their already significant repression of
flash-mob activists. Police tactics aimed at deterring flash mobs
have included surveillance of opposition buildings and websites,
criminal prosecutions, and, in recent days, pre-emptive arrests.
However, despite the increased repression, a growing number of
opposition youth view flash mobs as an effective method to capture
public attention and possibly spark wider support for democratic
change. This rising enthusiasm for flash mobs among youth
activists culminated in a controversial effort by supporters of
former presidential candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich to create a
center for coordinating flash-mob protests. END SUMMARY.

Flash Mobs on Rise
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2. (SBU) Flash-mob activities have become increasingly popular
among young people since the first documented Belarusian flash mob
held on August 24, 2003. [Note: Although the organizers described
this flash mob as apolitical, Belarusian police still threatened to
enforce Belarus' laws against unsanctioned events.] Flash mobs have
occurred with even more frequency following the March presidential
elections. Throughout April, flash mobs demonstrated remarkable
organization and temerity. On April 16, a flash mob of more than a
hundred people read from the Belarusian constitution near the BKGB
building to highlight violations of the Constitution by
Lukashenko's regime. On April 23, a flash mob of several hundred
young people gathered on Minsk's October Square to honor protestors
who participated in the tent city. The flash mob sat on the square
for five minutes before departing. On April 28, prompted by
internet advertisements, around 200 persons formed a flash mob on
October Square and simultaneously opened copies of the independent
newspaper "Nasha Niva," which they silently read as they marched to
Victory Square.

GOB Ratchets Up Pressure on Flash Mobs
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3. (SBU) By the end of April, the authorities stepped up their
repression of flash mobs. On April 28, police arrested eight flash-
mob activists outside the Belarusian Supreme Court in Minsk.
Dozens of young people had come to the Court to read books of
Belarusian writers to demonstrate support for the Union of
Belarusian Writers, which was facing dissolution by the government.
Police released all eight a few hours later after copying their
passport information.


4. (SBU) On May 7, a group of young activists planned a flash mob
at the statue of Francisk Skarnya near the old National Library in
Minsk to mark the anniversary of the renaming of Francisk Skarnya
Avenue. The group reportedly intended to open history textbooks
used by Belarusian schools and tear out a few pages. As the flash
mob formed, riot police blocked access to the library and arrested
twelve persons. Police released the activists after searching them
and recording their personal data. On May 9, the anniversary of
victory against Nazi Germany, police similarly dispersed a flash
mob demonstrating in support of veterans. The authorities also
detained a group assembled to eat ice cream. [Note: opposition
sources have suggested that this group was political and was
testing the police response.]


5. (SBU) Belarusian authorities continue to crack down on flash
mobs. From May 30 to June 1, around 50 youth activists
participated in hourly shifts of sitting on the pavement at Lenin
Square in the western city of Brest and reading the Bible to
demonstrate solidarity with several imprisoned leaders of Malady
Front, an opposition youth group. Police arrested five activists.
Three were found guilty of holding an unauthorized religious event
under Article 167 of the Administrative Code.


6. (SBU) On June 2, OMON riot police seized nine activists on
Yakub Kolas Square in Minsk. Authorities detained the nine for at
least two hours but filed no charges. Police described the arrests
as pre-emptive. [Note: This flash mob was to be held in
solidarity with youth activists who were then on hunger strike.]

Opposition Coalition Tries to Bring Flash Mob Organizers Into Fold
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7. (SBU) On May 7, supporters of former presidential candidate
Aleksandr Milinkevich announced their creation of a center for
coordinating and organizing flash-mob events that would operate
within the pro-democracy movement "Za Svobodu" (For Freedom). The
center garnered almost immediate support from the flash-mob group
"Otpor." However, most flash-mob activists were reticent or
rejected overt affiliation with the established opposition
political parties and NGOs. For example, on May 8, the opposition
organization "Initsiativa" (Initiative) issued a statement
declining participation in the coalition's flash-mob center.


8. (SBU) COMMENT: It is clear that a growing number of opposition
youth find flash mobs to be an effective complement and possible
catalyst for larger, more traditional forms of protest. Flash mobs
only require the mobilization and coordination of a few dozen to a
few hundred people and thus are less vulnerable to mass arrests by
authorities. Youth activists told Econoff that police normally
need 30 minutes to bring in reinforcements to arrest a crowd of
people. Their goal is to protest and be gone before the police
arrive. Moreover, the remarkable creativity of flash mobs and
their media coverage seem to have re-energized a considerable
segment of the Belarusian opposition youth movement in the wake of
university expulsions and imprisonments by the GOB.

KROL