Huge protest in Minsk on Belarus leader’s birthday

A woman kneels in front of riot police as they block a Belarusian opposition supporters rally in the centre of Minsk (AP)

Tens of thousands of people gathered in the capital of Belarus on Sunday, beginning a fourth week of daily protests demanding the resignation of the country’s authoritarian president after an election they call rigged gave him a sixth term in office.

The protest at the “hero city” monument honouring Minsk’s suffering and resilience during the Second World War attracted at least 100,000 people, according to a messaging app channel used by the opposition.