BELARUS: EU ambassadors made a mass pilgrimage to the Belarus pro-democracy protest yesterday as demonstrators held a second all-night vigil in the capital, Minsk.
"We want to support their right to gather," said Latvian ambassador Maira Mora, representative of the presidency. "The elections were flawed. It is our job to see what is happening in this country."
A crowd of 8,000 gathered around the ambassadors in swirling snow, accompanied by rock music and chants of "Free Belarus" and the catchphrase of this protest, "Hopit", Belorussian for "Enough".
"We are showing our support of the democratic process," said British ambassador Brian Bennett. "We have come to see, we have come to observe," said Czech ambassador Vladimir Rumel.
Protesters, gathered around losing candidates Alexander Milinkevich and Alexander Kuzulin, say they will remain in the square, now home to a jumble of tents, until fresh elections are called.
Mr Milinkevich, addressing the crowd, said more than 100 activists had been arrested by police.
While the noisy flag-waving protesters made themselves heard on the square, most citizens continued to go about their business. The state media, meanwhile, have largely ignored the protest, continuing to broadcast disputed election results.
State-run BT television said the protest was being used by troublemakers to cause unrest.
"They hide behind the legs of women and children," said a news commentator, over the sounds of the demonstrators' protests.