The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. He gets the award for his country's continuing crackdowns on government opponents. Lukashenko was just re-elected in a questionable election less than a month ago. Among those arrested yesterday were two opposition candidates in the last election.

The US and European Union are corrct in placing sanctions on this country. Lukashenko isn't satisfied with his rigged election, he wants to stamp out any political freedom in his country. Till Lukashenko changes his ways, all democracies should shun this man.

Lukashenko fears the citizens, for he knows he is a illegitimate leader. He wouldn't win a non-rigged election and is using these crackdowns to sustain his rule. Lukashenko fails to learn from history, that all despots can't rule forever. Sooner or later democracy or someone in his inner circle will bring him down.

For cruel and inhumane treatment of his own countryment, President Alexander Lukashenko is today's Knucklehead of the day.

Also blogging on the situation in Belarus are Captain's Quarters, here and here. Also Ultima Thule here.

Open Post- Jo's Cafe, Wizbang, Bright & Early , Don Surber, Third World County, TMH's Bacon Bits, Samantha Burns, Rhymes with Right, Right Wing Nation, Cao's Blog, Liberal Wrong Wing, Adam's Blog, Real Ugly American, Point Five, Stop the ACLU, Basil's Blog,

MINSK, Belarus - Black-clad riot police clubbed demonstrators as government opponents marched Saturday in defiance of a show of force by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko that has drawn U.S. and European Union sanctions.

A week into protests set off by the disputed election that handed Lukashenko a third term, opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich told a crowd of thousands that momentum is growing to bring democracy to Belarus.

"We are starting work against dictatorship, and this work will sooner or later bear its fruit," he said.

But Milinkevich also urged a monthlong recess in protests, apparently hoping to calm tensions and gain time to build opposition forces, which have fallen far short of the huge outpourings that peacefully overturned governments in Ukraine and Georgia.

The day of confrontation and wildly swinging emotions left two big questions for the former Soviet republic of 10 million people, characterized in the West as Europe's last dictatorship: How much dissent are the authorities willing to allow and how much support does the opposition have?

Milinkevich spoke at an impromptu rally in a park after hundreds of police blocked protesters from gathering on the central square that had been the focus of anti-Lukashenko demonstrations until riot squads swept in before dawn Friday and arrested dozens of people.

Demonstrators held flowers, waved the red-and-white flag of the opposition and shouted "Milinkevich!" and "We are not afraid!"

Police didn't interfere with the 7,000 people in the park, raising hopes that security forces' long history of violence against dissenters was softening.

But authorities showed their tolerance had limits after part of the rally's participants marched off toward a jail holding some of those arrested during demonstrations against the March 19 presidential election that the protesters consider fraudulent.

Cheerily chanting "police be with the people" as they passed officers along the way, the crowd of about 3,000 suddenly grew somber when a three-deep phalanx of riot police with shields confronted them at a railroad underpass.

Banging truncheons on shields, the officers advanced on the marchers, causing some to scurry away. Police herded other protesters back along the street, beating some bloody and arresting about 20, as demonstrators shouted "Fascists!"

At least four percussion grenades were detonated, adding to the chaos. Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov later denied the explosions were set off by police, but did not say what caused them.

More than 100 people were arrested throughout the day, said Ales Byalyatsky of the human rights group Vasnya.

The International Helsinki Federation said one demonstrator was severely injured with a fractured skull. A Russian journalist, Pavel Sheremet, was beaten and detained earlier in the central city, his father told The Associated Press.

The United States criticized the use of force.

"We call on Belarusian authorities to refrain from further use of force and arrests against those exercising their legitimate rights to assembly and expression," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement. He also urged the release of those jailed.

Among those arrested at the march was Alexander Kozulin, who like Milinkevich was a candidate against Lukashenko in the election. His spokeswoman, Nina Shedlovskaya, said he was beaten by police.

Kozulin apparently initiated the march to the jail, angering Milinkevich, who said that "Kozulin decided to spoil this holiday for the people."

The two have appeared together at opposition meetings over the past week, but Milinkevich clearly commands the crowds' affections.

Cross posted to Bullwinkle Blog