2017 Belarusian protests

2017 Belarusian protests
2017 Belarusian protests
Part of the Belarusian democracy movement
	Independence Avenue in Minsk, blocked by riot police; (25 March 2017)
Date	17 February – c. 1 May 2017
Location	Beginning in Minsk, spreading through Belarus, including Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk, Grodno and Brest.
Caused by	Taxation on the unemployed (Decree No. 3); Economic and social policies of the government;
Goals	Cancellation of Decree No. 3; Alexander Lukashenko's resignation; Resignation of the government; New presidential elections;
Methods	Demonstrations; Protest marches; Online activism;
Status	Ended
Parties
Opposition: United Civic Party; BChD; People's Assembly; Belarusian Green Party; Belarusian Left Party "A Just World"; Young Front; Anarchists;	Government: Ministry of Internal Affairs; State Security Committee;
Number
5000 protesters (At highest point); Total number estimated 25,000–40,000	Unknown
Casualties
Detained	>700

The 2017 Belarusian protests were a series of demonstrations and street protests against President Alexander Lukashenko that broke out in late February 2017. Protesters mobilized against a tax levied against the unemployed in Belarus. Demonstrations and marches were held in sites throughout the country with sizes of several hundred to several thousand gathering at a given time.