The Declaration of State sovereignty of Byelorussia was adopted on 27 of July, 1990. On the same day in the year 2007 those who came to commemorate the date to the Independence Square in Minsk were thrown into the police cars. 

First, the city authorities forbade the meeting and the rock music concert on the Square. The meeting organizers, demonstrating orderliness, did not call people to come for a meeting. It was decided that Minsk citizens, who are willing, would just meet with some Deputies from that-time Supreme Soviet on the Independence Square. The whole thing was to be a quiet affair. However, one hour before the appointed time the city buses ceased to make stops at the Square place and the Underground exits were blocked by the police. Anatoly Lebedko, the Chairman of the United Civic Party, was detained at the approaches to the Square with two activists of Byelorussian People’s Front, Viktor Ivashkevitch and Franek Vyatchorka. Then the order was given to clear the Square. The people who came to meet with the former deputies were just forced out from the place.

13 people were brought to Leninsky and Central district’s police stations. Most of them were youth activists. Other 15 persons had been detained preventively at the beginning of the week. This way the country celebrated its Independence Day.

By the way, a certain Alexander Lukashenko was one of the deputies of that-time mutinous Soviet who was adopting the Declaration of State sovereignty. Later, after having become the President of the State, he first thing began to destroy the signs of his own revolutionary activity. In 1995 he replaced the white and red flag of the independent Byelorussia for the former red and green flag of the Soviet Byelorussia. In 1996, the celebration of the Independence Day was canceled for 27 of July and moved to 3 of July, the date that had been celebrated for fifty years as the Day of Minsk Liberation from Nazis’ Troops. That time Lukashenko was on best terms with Russia and it was somewhat inept for him to celebrate the Independence Day on 27 July.

Novaya Gazeta №57 July 30, 2007