Dozens of protesters against Belarusian leader detained

Police detain a protester in Minsk (Sergei Grits/AP)

Police in Belarus have detained dozens of protesters who gathered in the capital’s central square in an effort to end weeks of demonstrations challenging the re-election of the country’s authoritarian ruler.

The crackdown in Independence Square on Wednesday came on the 18th straight day of protests pushing for the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko.