Video: On Lukashenko's Birthday, Thousands of Protesters Bring 'Gifts' to Minsk

Massive protests demanding the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko and the holding of new elections took place in Minsk and various cities across Belarus on August 30. According to reports from bbc.com, law enforcement had closed off the main squares and central metro stations in Minsk even before the protest began. The demonstration coincided with Alexander Lukashenko's birthday, as he turned 66 on August 30.

Protesters prepared several 'gifts' for Lukashenko, including a large cardboard reaper, a coffin symbolizing dictatorship, and wreaths.

Assistant to Lukashenko, Nikolai Latichenok, approached the protesters and stated that the rallies were illegal, the elections had been fair, and the authorities would not engage in negotiations with the opposition.