MINSK, Nov 22 – Belarus’ interior ministry has confirmed the use of riot control tools against protesters in Minsk on Sunday.

“Groups of people in Minsk violated public order, stepping out onto trafficway and blocking traffic. Police warned them about the inadmissibility of public order violation more than once. Some of them offered resistance to police officers during the detention and the police was forced to use riot control tools,” Belarusian Interior Ministry Spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova told TASS on Sunday.

She also said that protests were subsiding across the country. “It should be noted that the number of participants in unauthorized rallies is gradually decreasing. As of 16:00 local time, no mass rallies were registered in the country, except Minsk,” she said.

According to Belarusian human rights activists, more than 100 people were detained during Sunday’ protests, with most of them being apprehended in the capital city Minsk.

Nationwide demonstrations have engulfed Belarus following the August 9 presidential election. The most massive rallies are held in Minsk and several other cities on Sundays. On these days in the morning special vehicles with police arrive in downtown Belarusian capital and the supposed venues of protests, while nearby metro stations are closed and access to mobile Internet is limited.