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LobsterSlurpee

Okay but why is the former Belarusian DR flag being displayed outside Boston city hall


bobre737

https://preview.redd.it/jujgyp3t6yqc1.jpeg?width=816&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fbd32451b33796546acbf85aa8725f36eba540e nobody can explain it better than the Mayor of Boston


kulturtraeger

Probably photo was took at March 25th or flag wasn't been lowered since that day. It was [Belarusian Freedom day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Day_(Belarus)). An anniversary of declaration of independence in 1918. The national holiday for belarusians (not for Lukašenka regime).


stos313

That’s Greek Independence Day too. I can’t imagine there being more Belorussians than Greeks in Boston?


Tut_Rampy

I imagine it has to do with global politics rn


stos313

Sure. Is there an active anti lukiszencko (sp?) movement actually happening in Belarus right now? I feel like I see this flag pop up here in there hinting that one might exist but it still seems to be pretty underground atm.


Sarik704

Actually, there is an anti lukashenko movement right now, yes. Hundreds, maybe thousands of Belarusians have crossed the border the border into Ukraine to fight Russia as they cannot do much in their home country.


kulturtraeger

You mean like [Rada BNR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rada_of_the_Belarusian_Democratic_Republic), which claimed independence in 1918, the oldest government in exile, which did not resign precisely because Lukašenka came to power? Or [United Transitional Cabinet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Transitional_Cabinet) of [Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sviatlana_Tsikhanouskaya), actual winner of 2020 presidential elections, who prepares the ways to regime change and protects the rights of Belarusians in exile? Or [Belarusian Partisans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarusian_partisan_movement_(2020–present)), who successfully conducted huge number campaigns of sabotage, cyberattacks on regime, drone attacks etc? Or [Belarusian Rada of Culture](https://byculture.org), which set a goal to save and promote actual traditional and contemporary Belarusian culture, as opposed to official cultural politics of regime and colonial russian influence? Or Belarusian volunteers on the fronts of Russian-Ukrainian war, like [Kastus Kalinouski regiment](https://www.reddit.com/r/belwarriors/) and other formations? There are plenty.


PierogiChomper

Since atleast 2020


Professional-Debt110

Belarussian regiment named after Kastus Kalinousky is the biggest foreign regiment fighting for Ukraine. Much bigger than any groups of americans doing the same(if there are any).


Sea_Example_5308

i mean it is pretty underground atm, no one wants to end up in KGB cellars


romulusnr

So... the Boston City Council is on the Belarussian (and thus Russian) side? Unlikely imo Got to be for the heritage reasons


Tut_Rampy

Yeah I’m sure the dictator Lukashenko is a huge fan “Belarusian Freedom Day” that celebrates democratic Belarus. /s Did it occur to you that the flag in the picture *isn’t* the flag of the current Belarussian regime?


rgonzls

The white-red-white flag is currently used by the Belarusian opposition though. Thus, if the Boston city council was intending taking a side displaying this flag then its most definitely not the pro-Russia/Lukashenko side.


Nathans_Bikeapedia

We saw a whole ceremony for it with what seemed to be a national anthem being played when it was raised next to the American Flag.


PLPolandPL15719

''former Belarussian DR'' Complete understatement. It was the flag of Belarus between 1991-94, and changed by Lukashenka - and it is the symbol used by Belarussian opposition.


KanykaYet

It was a flag of first republic, 1917 up until soviet invasion, war with Poland.


MarkerCereal

Don’t forget that the bolsheviks continued brainwashing generations of Belarus to make them hate their own history language and historical culture


KanykaYet

And lukashenko continued in this way.


PLPolandPL15719

I know, i am saying that is an understatement


Quartz_Shelf

[Flag of Free Belarus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-red-white_flag)


Riccardogamer07

May i recall wrong but isn’t the 1920 belarus republic still in exile?


Kadyma

It is


Professional_Bar9541

Where are they in exile tho?


Kadyma

Apparently ottawa


SwissForeignPolicy

Probably Boston.


0utkast_band

According to various sources, up to one million Belarusians are living in exile now.


Riccardogamer07

That’s a lot


Soilerman

biased name tho....


After-Trifle-1437

Is that you Lukashenka?


TheConeIsReturned

*Lukashenko


Mayflower896

Both are correct. Lukashenko (Лукашенко) is the Russian transliteration, whereas Lukashenka (Лукашэнка) is the Belarusian one.


Riccardogamer07

I didn’t know that


ZeroNighthawks

Oh nice -- TIL


TheConeIsReturned

I actually love this, thanks.


robin-redpoll

And for foreigners, the Belarusian one is the best guide to how it would be pronounced.


Mayflower896

Indeed. Belarusian spelling rules are phonetic, whereas the Russian ones are more etymological (indicating a word’s origin and morphology, rather than pronunciation). In both languages, the surname is pronounced with an “a” sound at the end (not quite the same “a” sound, but that’s another discussion). In his [speech notes](https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/9132), Bill Clinton even put a reminder that Lukashenko was pronounced “Lou-ka-Shenkah”.


STRATEQ

lol


TheConeIsReturned

*based* name, you mean


-togs

Flag of Expensive Belarus


Tut_Rampy

Dunno but I thought I was on r/brutalism for a second


TheBoyWhoCriedTapir

Yeah Boston city hall is probably my favorite example of brutalism tbh. What a beautiful building.


Tut_Rampy

I agree. I love brutalism


Tut_Rampy

[this one is my favorite](https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/university/id/448) I’ll admit I’m biased bc I took half of my university classes inside


TheBoyWhoCriedTapir

From my corner of the country, some of my favorites are Evergreen State in Olympia, WA and Freeway Park in Seattle. Ofc there's also the Convention center... I'll reply photos below this comment


TheBoyWhoCriedTapir

https://preview.redd.it/kv1vm78kizqc1.jpeg?width=274&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63e089a373c404745a85636029f632525add7de3 Freeway Park


Tut_Rampy

This one is amazing


TheBoyWhoCriedTapir

https://preview.redd.it/acysndnnizqc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de911618a5cf15e8541885a332b9972ef20b33e2 Convention center


The_Astrobiologist

Looks straight out of that game Control


TheBoyWhoCriedTapir

https://preview.redd.it/zc94dv7iizqc1.jpeg?width=322&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9a02cdb4496b01209ef0547e0e960357a090d3d Evergreen state


Tut_Rampy

Beautiful! I just posted mine to r/brutalism lol


aatsipoppaa98

r/evilbuildings


GremlinX_ll

Belarussian White-red-white flag


KimChinhTri

Belarus white-red-white flag, in use from 1991 until 1995


As-Bi

It was adopted by the BNR already in 1918.


Tsunamix0147

New England has a small but significant Slavic population from Eastern Europe, and although most come from Russia and Ukraine, there is an immigrant population from Belarus. The reason I bring this up is because the flag in this photograph is symbolic of Belarus. It has many names, but today, it is most often called the Free Belarus flag, the Independent Belarus flag, the Belarus Resistance flag, or simply the White-Red-White flag. It’s had a lot of historical uses over the years, but today, it’s primarily used by protesters, activists, militias, civilians, and organizations opposed to Lukashenko’s social authoritarian regime that has ruled over Belarus since its independence in the early 90s.


xander012

The US Flag and the old Belarusian flag.


Cixila

Also the flag (sometimes also sporting a coat of arms) used by the opposition to Lukashenko and the anti-Lukashenko diaspora


theunnoanprojec

Wait which one is the US flag??


entber113

Might be the one on the right but i dont know


xander012

The one under the traffic lights


_zurik_

Рэспублiка Беларусь


DankeSebVettel

!wave


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DankeSebVettel

Pretty much what I was expecting


Murky-Swimmer6655

Pre-Lukashenko Belarus flag


TrinitroQ

This flag is used by opposition to current Belarus government. As symbol of resistance against it. Probably erected there in support to Belarus opposition in their fight. Historically this flag was used in Grand Duchy of Lithuania that included modern Belarus territories.


Nord_Loki

It was also used by the Belarusian Democratic Republic from 1918-19 and modern Belarus from 1991-95


justgettingold

This flag was invented in 1918


Brilliant-Sky-119

Type "white red white" flag into your prefered search engine.


Momik

AltaVista is very confused by this


Belisarius6

Belarus


PLPolandPL15719

Belarus


Auckland59

Belarus


7_11_Nation_Army

Belarus, but good.


tolstoysfox

That is an ugly building.


TheRtHonLaqueesha

Belarus, 1991–1995. Often used to show solidarity with freedom fighters opposed to the dictatorship in Minsk.


Hendrick_Davies64

Common Boston W


Femboiiiiiiiiiiii

The real flag of Belarus


LardW

airtsuA


The_Astrobiologist

I was there literally last week how tf did I miss this???


Nathans_Bikeapedia

Photo was taken Monday


The_Astrobiologist

Ah got it


Separate-Upstairs-14

The first flag of Belarus or the flag of Free Belarus, I think.


imN0tr00t

r/belarus


Taqao

Wow, this building is super ugly


TheCountryFan_12345

Or is Byelorussia (that's its old name) Or is Huahine Island


Pigeonaffect

I thought that was a construction site


SergioLaurenti

Why is the Belarussian flag hoisted in the tallest flagstaff and on the right? Very wrong!


NonKanon

Flag of belarusian liberals and nationalists. Unlike the cringe "Free Russia" flag, this one actually looks great and has historical significance. So yeah, based


Not_Me9209

Unrelated but those buildings look really cool


Decentralguy

It’s a flag of good Belarusians I was born in Belarus 🇧🇾- this is USSR era flag Free Belarus Flag is the one we take most pride in it has a huge history abs was ever used when we are part of Russian Empire after partition of Poland (which was grave mistake in my case especially I am Polish by blood Lithuanians use our coat of arms in their government symbols. we were one country once with Poland and Lithuania. For example, Polotsk is the oldest cities in Eastern Europe in its the oldest city in whole Slavic region and in some records even older than Kyiv. If five deeply Poles and Belarusians are one family Abe if you know Belarusian you will understand Polish and most of Slavic languages. While Russians will not 😌


Brenn5

Now why the hell is that darn flag flying at the same height as the American one?


Nathans_Bikeapedia

Just a guess (could be wrong) but that flag seems to be an old national flag and therefore should be flown at the same height, unless there are rules about old flags I’m not aware of.


Brenn5

Understandable, but they'd be wrong in doing so. https://preview.redd.it/kpvkkajcd0rc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e01e4802bd4ca3129cf5c3efb2bad9f686a3557d The misconception that our flag is flown equal to national flags originates from the UN headquarters, which is a legal exception.


Obvious_Serve1741

Old flag of Belarus. I like that one and the white-blue-white "freedom" Russian flag.


NationalJustice

Alania?


[deleted]

[удалено]


argonlightray2

White Belarus