Photoshoot of Yastrambelsk cadets ends up in scandal
On October 16, one of the students of the Yastrambelsk boarding school posted in the community “My country, Belarus” “VKontakte” picture of four 3rd year cadets showing T-shirts with “Pahonia”(Pursuit), a historical emblem of Belarusians.
The image was a hit in social networks and ended up in the mainstream media.
The correspondent of “Solidarity” got in touch with one of the cadets. According to him, this act had repercussions: the student who published the photo was later expelled. The others were preparing to be expelled. The cadet said that their classmates “stood up for them to the last.”
“For me personally, “Pursuit” is our history. We must love our history and coat of arms,” said the student.
Belsat.eu had previously spoken with one of the students, who appears in the picture with the “Pursuit.” The young man admitted that the cadets were having “problems with the KGB.” But then he said he was joking.
Belarus Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihar Shunevich, said earlier that there was no responsibility for the use of the “Pursuit” emblem. Nevertheless, at the last football match Belarus-Macedonia t-shirts with the emblem became the basis for arrests and fines.
Belarusians started posting online pictures with “Pursuit” to support the cadets of Yastrambel.
Public organization “Art Sydziba” started a campaign of solidarity #PagonyaPobach and urged all concerned to join. In addition, they decided to support the cadets by signing a petition to the Minister of Education. The campaign has already been supported by Belarusians.
Radio “Liberty” with reference to the activist Mikita Brouka reported that all the cadets of Yastrambel boarding school, who photographed with “Pursuit”, were expelled. It was reported that Director of the school, Alyaksandr Kalko, who enjoyed great respect among cadets was also fired.
In turn, the correspondent of “Solidarity” received a call from a young man who introduced himself as one of the boys in the photo.
According to him, the director of the institution stood up for the guys in the photo: “It’s not his initiative. He received a call from superiors. He protected us, he said that we are good guys, the cadets. ”
According to the source, the dismissal had not been officially announced. They discussed a possible transfer of the students to the former place of study. He spoke also about the expelled colleague. According to him, the parents took him from the school on their own initiative.
Previously, there was information about the dismissal of only one student who posted photos online.
Picture of the boys in the cadet uniform where they showed t-shirts with “Pursuit” were published by the “My country Belarus” and “VKontakte” with the caption – “Greetings from Baranavichy.” The photo was rapidly reposted on social networks, causing a nervous reaction from the state ideologues.
Creative people became inspired by the patriotism of the cadets with “Pursuit”.
The poet Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu dedicated a poem to the boys of the Yastrambelsk boarding school, an artist under the name Zivis Laimīgs created a picture under the influence of the boys’ picture.
Director of the Yastrambel Cadet School Alyaksandr Kalko in an interview with tut.by denied the information that one of the cadets had been dismissed for the photo with “Pursuit.”
Kalko explained that parents of the cadet who posted photos on the Internet, decided to take his son home for the weekend.
“They will make a decision (to transfer his to another school or not – Tut.by). We have no dismissals,” said the director, who however did not elaborate why the parents are thinking about the transfering their son, if he was not going to be punished.
Alyaksandr Kalko also stressed that neither he personally nor the cadets experienced any pressure.
“There is no politics here,” he said.[vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
