Alexander Lukashenko promises fresh crackdown on Belarus protesters

Protesters marched towards government buildings demanding Lukashenko's resignation

• Women in Belarus take protests into their own hands
• It's like a war': armed men roam streets of Minsk

The standoff in Belarus appears to be entering a decisive phase, with embattled president Alexander Lukashenko promising a fresh crackdown as protests continued.

On Friday evening, tens of thousands of protesters marched towards government buildings in central Minsk, holding flowers and signs demanding an end to violence and Lukashenko's resignation. Gathering outside parliament, they faced off against a few dozen troops guarding the building.